Find My Way Back
by RobotFish
Summary: 18 years ago, Yusei and Akiza lost their first child in a tragic accident. Now, how will their lives be affected when their children meet a dangerous duelist known as the Black Spirit in the New Domino City Projects? ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Hello people, RobotFish here!

So I've rewritten this story, finally. The prelude is the same, so you can skip it if you've already read it.

Onto the story! Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh 5ds, I only own this plot and my own characters.

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><p>Prelude: And All Things Will End<p>

"I...I'm pregnant?"

Akiza stared wide eyed at the white stick in her hand, a blue positive sign clearly showing on the side. Her world shattered into a million pieces in that instant, and she knew that her life would never be the same.

It was a night of passion between her and Yusei, full of desire and heat, and they had been reckless. Even after dating for two and a half years, they had never made love until then, and it was one of the best nights of Akiza's life. She had never felt so loved, so close to anyone before, and she had been overjoyed that she gave Yusei her virginity and he gave his in return.

But now, she regretted it. They weren't married, Akiza was still in school, Yusei had a career to start, there was no way they could raise a child! She felt her stomach for the first time, knowing that she carried life inside of her, carried her and Yusei's child they never planned on having. A tear escaped her eye. This was all her fault, she had led him on, been needy and gone too far regardless of what Yusei was comfortable with, and now they both were responsible for this baby.

Akiza gagged as her stomach did a sickening flip, and she vomited into the toilet yet again as another round of morning sickness ate through her core. Her throat burned as she dry heaved, her eyes stinging as she tried to keep herself together.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. She loved Yusei with all of her heart, and if she ever started a family, she wanted it to be with him. But not now, not when they weren't even settled nor even remotely prepared to care for a child, _their_ child.

She leaned back against the bathroom wall and wiped away the bile that stained her face. Maybe they could do it, maybe they could start early, be a family...

No, it would never work. Not with their plans, anyway. Akiza would never be able to finish school while caring for the baby, and Yusei would definitely not be able to maintain his career as the King of Turbo dueling. Choosing to care for this child would be the end of their futures. But Akiza wouldn't let that happen, not to Yusei. He had been through enough, he deserved his chance to be in the spotlight, to live the life he was meant to.

So she made up her mind. She would care for this child alone.

But Yusei had other plans.

* * *

><p>"You...you're pregnant?" Yusei asked, incredulously staring into her eyes.<p>

She gave a weak nod, allowing herself to be held in his arms. The past few weeks had been rough, and all Akiza wanted was comfort, the kind of comfort only Yusei could give her. She didn't deserve it, she knew, but the pain of what she was going through was too much. She needed this, only if it was for a few moments.

He had come to see her after she didn't call him for an entire week. Akiza was trying to distance herself as much as possible from him, not because her love had faded, but because she loved him too much to burden him with this. Her eyes welled up with tears, and before she could hold them back, Yusei drew her into a tight embrace, and her tears fell into his chest as she wept.

Yusei hated seeing her like this. And he hated himself because he knew it was his own fault, he had broken their promise to wait and indulged himself. His heart twisted itself into painful contortions as he realized how much Akiza had been suffering and how he hadn't been there to support her and love her. What kind of a man was he?

She calmed down after a few moments, dry sobs still racking her weakened frame.

"I...I'll c-care for h-him. You don't h-have to b-be a f-father yet..." she couldn't even look into his eyes when she spoke.

Yusei was shocked by her words. Partially because he never expected Akiza to say what she had said, but mainly because he was ashamed of himself for even letting her think of bearing this weight herself. He gently lifted her chin up and met her eyes, trying to be as compassionate as humanly possible, and he placed as soft, loving kiss on her lips. She gave a weak moan at the contact, her guilt tainting the joy she felt, and he rested his forehead against hers when he spoke.

"Akiza...I would never dream of letting you do this by yourself. I want to be there for you during all of this-"

"No, Yusei!" she cried, pushing him away. "You don't know what you're saying!"

He was hurt by this, hurt that she didn't want to share this with him. He knew it would be the most difficult thing they had ever done, but he loved her. And he knew it would be worth it. "I know you're scared," he whispered. "I am too...but I want to be with you Akiza, no matter what."

She looked away, another pool of tears gathering. "You'll never be able to be King," she whimpered.

He gave a sad smile. "I don't care."

"You'll never be able to enter the WRGP again."

"I couldn't care less."

"You'll never be a famous turbo duelist."

"I don't care."

She hugged herself, breaking down when she realized what he was about to do. "Well what if I do?" she said. Her knees gave in from all of the hurt and despair, and she kneeled on the ground, silently crying as Yusei kneeled and wrapped an arm around her. "I don't want you to throw away your life for me, Yusei."

He sat down and held Akiza as she shifted into his lap, resting her head in his chest and letting him comfort her. It had been too long since they did this, too long since there were no worries, since it was just the two of them with nothing but time. Yusei gently stroked her hair, praying only that Akiza would understand.

"Akiza," he said. "...you are my life. I love you more than dueling, and I want to be there for you...and our child."

She looked up at him and gave a sad smile. "You know...I could live a hundred lifetimes and still not deserve you."

"No," he said. "If anyone is undeserving here, it's me."

They sat there for a while, forgetting all of the pain and sorrow, if only for a few moments. They would find a way. They always did. Yusei captured Akiza's lips in a tender kiss, and he stared lovingly in her eyes after they parted.

"Will you marry me, Akiza Izinski?" he asked.

Her heart fluttered, and for the first time in a long time, she felt pure, uncorrupted joy.

"Yes, Yusei Fudo...I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

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><p>The wedding was a happy one. Everyone they knew attended, wished them luck as soul mates, and they were nothing less than just that. Akiza's parents even accepted Yusei despite his violation of their trust, and gave them their blessing.<p>

And for a while, Yusei and Akiza were happy. Yusei was still able to turbo duel when he wasn't helping Akiza with her pregnancy or helping move into their new apartment. Akiza was still able to study, even though she was six months along.

But after a while, Akiza fell back into depression. There was no way they could do this, they didn't know the first thing about being parents! Their child wouldn't receive the life it deserved, the love that Akiza wanted him to have. At heart, Akiza still saw herself as a witch...and witches can never be mothers that love their children.

It was increasingly hard to maintain her grades while trying to start a life with Yusei. Her days were long and painful, her back was stiff and sore from the extra weight. She was constantly tired and never got enough sleep. She spent all her energy to the point where the only thing she could muster in the evenings was to shamefully drag herself into bed, most of the time unable to even talk with Yusei, much less show any form of affection to him.

Carly was still able to spend some time with Akiza when the reporter wasn't working, and Akiza enjoyed the small talk. Jack occasionally hung out with Yusei, but the head Signer's busy schedule left little time for idle chatter. It was good to know that their friends were still there even if other people weren't.

The people...Akiza had never cared much about the opinions of others, but it hurt more than she expected when her secret got out. The dirty looks, the vicious rumors, previous 'friends' shunning her because of her condition, eating alone when no one would sit with her, seeing the disappointed shaking of teacher's heads as she passed by in the hallway, hearing the hateful mutterings that weren't meant to reach her ears...it all cut her to the very core. And her heart was still wounded.

Yusei wasn't faring much better. Many duelists laughed at his ordeal, unable to understand what he was going through. He didn't have the time nor the strength to prepare for duels like he once did, and it was starting to show. The misplays, the flaws, the imperfections were starting to show through, and Yusei Fudo was slowly going from a shooting star to a dying one. Even as King, his support in New Domino fell, partially because of angry moralists who didn't know the definition of forgiveness, but mostly because the myth of his invincibility on the track had been cracked.

He didn't see Akiza enough, and guilt was a constant presence in his soul. For better or for worse, he has said, and things didn't look like they could stoop much lower. The money he was earning wasn't nearly enough to support a family on its own. Even as King, he made the same amount any other second rate duelist made. Sponsorships, endorsements, that was where the fortune was, but his recent hiccups in the arena had caused a great deal of New Domino's higher ups to lose faith in him. They were holding out, seeing which duelist would take him out first, then they would pour out the cash to another man that could maintain his image of invincibility.

And it wasn't fair.

But as they were learning, neither was life.

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><p>He sat staring her in the eye, praying to everything holy that she wouldn't hate him for suggesting this.<p>

Eight months and a week, and the baby was due at any time. Akiza's swollen stomach was a lively pouch. The baby was constantly kicking, a constant reminder of the life they had created. A few soothing words from Akiza would always calm him down though.

Over the months she had cared for him, Akiza had been growing more attached to the baby, acted more like a mother than a frightened teenage girl carrying a child. She was still scared, but she now looked at the child as a blessing instead of a curse. She thought that maybe she would be a good mother...there was no doubt in Yusei's mind that she would be anything less than an exceptional parent.

But the baby was taking its toll. The school year was over, but there was no way Akiza could attend University, not with their child. She claimed she didn't mind not being able to pursue a degree, but Yusei saw through her facade and into the deep rooted disappointment she hid. He knew she wanted to do something with her life, and he still hated himself for stripping that away.

And he was just barely surviving on the pro tour. When the sponsors learned that Yusei wouldn't just roll over and play dead, they started backing other duelists, no-name challengers who came from all over the world in hopes of de-throning the toothless tiger named Yusei Fudo. Every duel was a battle, every lifepoint lost a step closer to damnation, and Yusei had lost all joy in the game. He no longer felt the rush of the wind in his hair and his runner humming beneath him. All he felt was fear, fear that he would fail and let Akiza down, let his son down.

They couldn't go on like this.

Martha had been a tremendous help throughout everything. She had cared for Akiza when Yusei couldn't be there, given her advice, taught her how to raise a child, be a mother, and they were eternally grateful for the woman's kindness. But Martha saw how the baby was affecting the young lovers. She knew they weren't ready, and she couldn't stand by and watch while two of her closest friends suffered.

So she met with Yusei and offered a suggestion. And now Yusei was about to ask Akiza.

Martha had an old friend, Rosalie, who lived in the Satellite that cared for orphaned children and infants. After a short conversation, Rosalie offered to care for the baby if Yusei and Akiza were not able to. It wouldn't be a permanent guardianship, only a temporary one until Yusei could get back on his game and attain a few sponsorships, earn a steady income. It wouldn't solve every problem, but it would be enough.

So he came to her, humbled more than he had ever been in his entire life. He told her about Rosalie, about how she would care for the baby, about how he almost lost a duel today, and that it was only through sheer dumb luck that he had won, had kept his only means of supporting her and the baby, about his fears of losing her, not being able to support her, about not being cut out to be a father.

And he cried.

She had never seen him cry, never knew her heart was capable of feeling so much pain, and they held each other as the tears flowed from both of them. Part of her wanted to keep the baby because it was what she wanted, but she knew that it was a selfish desire. It would be best for the baby, best for her and Yusei, best for everyone if she gave up her child for just a few months. Any reservations that she might have held disappeared under the broken glaze that filmed Yusei's eyes.

So she said yes. And for some reason, they both felt hollow.

* * *

><p>The first sponsor had come, and with it, financial stability.<p>

Akiza had given birth two months earlier, and the baby boy was the most beautiful thing she and Yusei had ever seen. They held it for a few days, cared for it, experienced parenthood before letting Rosalie take over. The old lady was nothing short of an angel, and the couple knew that their child would be happy and loved. But giving him away was one of the hardest things Akiza had ever done. There were always postcards and visits that kept Yusei and Akiza in touch with their child, but it was nothing compared to those few days where the three had been together.

However, Yusei had gotten back on top. The last two months had been the best dueling days of Yusei's life, and he pulled off combos and moves that no one else even knew existed. Any of his skeptics and critics were silenced as he cut down opponent after opponent, duelist after duelist, and Satellite's Shooting Star had made his return. The hired guns stopped coming, and the first sponsorship was made, giving Yusei and Akiza the means to live on their own.

They still needed more time, but with three more companies practically drooling at Yusei's feet, things were looking up. Akiza had spent most of her time looking for a better apartment, maybe even a house if the price was right, for her and Yusei to move into and care for little Yukai when the moment came.

There was even cause for celebration. Jack and Carly got married not too long after Yukai was born, and now all Carly could talk about was having children. Jack wasn't sure if they were ready, but Yusei could tell that the idea of a child was secretly growing on him. A young man to carry on the family name, Jack had said. After all, Jack had plenty of sponsorships from his time as King, and even a couple of minor duels was enough for him to earn a decent income.

One thing Yusei could never repay Jack for was the blonde's refusal to duel in a title match. Jack had been approached by numerous sponsors urging him to take back the title of King while Yusei was weak, but Jack had told them to screw off. He knew his best friend needed that title, and he would be damned before he would take it away. If Yusei had ever questioned Jack's loyalty before, he immediately forgot about it.

For the first time in a long time, there was peace and happiness. Good things were happening. Life was beautiful again.

All just a calm before the storm.

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><p>They all sat watching the news report, not believing their ears.<p>

The ferry was coming back to New Domino, carrying with it Rosalie and Yukai. The day had finally come, and Yusei and Akiza were ready to care for their child once more. Rosalie had been sad to let Yukai go when Akiza called, but her happiness at Yusei and Akiza's love outweighed any negativity.

So she had boarded the ferry to New Domino, coming to give back the life that the young couple had created. It was a new start, a second chance at having a family, this time accompanied by hope and joy rather than fear and trepidation. The ferry ride was an early departure, and the sun was just creeping over the horizon as the boat reached its halfway point.

They had stood at the docks, waiting for the ferry to arrive. Ten minutes late, then an hour, then two, then a frantic Jack on his runner begging Yusei and Akiza to come back to the house, that something was wrong, very very wrong and that they needed to see it...

There was a storm. A vicious turning of the tides that defied any meteorological explanation and prediction, and it had come and gone before anyone was the wiser. Yusei and Akiza sat in fear, the worst kind of dread, the kind that drained life from your face, drilled through your bones, tore away your innards until it poisoned your very soul. This couldn't happen, it wasn't possible...

And then they had seen it. The remains of what had been a once proud ship, turned upside down and battered until it was but a hollow shell of its former self. Much like both of them. There were rescue crews, coast guard, police, all trying to brave the wreckage for any lost victims that might have defied the odds.

And then the two words that shattered everything to pieces.

No survivors.

Akiza had let out a horrible wail and covered her face with her hands, the cold searing pain in her chest too much to endure. Yusei held her, desperately trying to make sense of anything, trying to give her comfort before realizing that he was the one reaching out to her. Their tears were unending, despite Jack and Carly's attempts to console their friends, and no one ever saw such a hopeless day.

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><p>A week passed. Then a month. And the pain dulled, but never left.<p>

Yusei had taken off from the tour, and his sponsors had told him to take as much time as he needed, get things back to normal, deal with his loss. Deal with it? How could he ever accept the fact that his child was dead because he was too much of a coward to raise him?

He became a corpse. He blamed himself for Yukai's death, and he thought that Akiza would never forgive him for it. How could he go on with anything after this? There was blood, his own child's blood, on his hands, and he would never be able to wash off the stain. Happiness was a distant memory, its colorful pleasures faded to black and gray. He hardly spoke to Akiza, and instead chose to walk through the woods behind their house, trying to think of anything except how horribly despicable his existence was.

She cried almost every night. And he didn't hold her, didn't comfort her like he used to. He just stood outside the door, listening to her quiet sobs, trying to find the man that would have gone in the room and known exactly what to say. But that man was long gone. And she probably wouldn't want to see him anyways.

He was in the woods one day, sitting on a fallen log when he heard footsteps behind him. The log shifted as it supported her weight, and there was silence as they sat together. He didn't look up, didn't meet her eyes. He couldn't, not when she was about to say goodbye. Losing her would destroy him, but he knew that a monster like himself didn't deserve such purity and perfection. Finally, he met her steady gaze, bracing himself for oblivion.

But he found no condemnation. She looked at him with eyes that he hadn't seen in over a year, since all was well and nothing was unsound. She gently touched his hand, her warm fingers brushing over his cold palm, and she moved closer as Yusei realized the meaning behind her gesture.

She didn't blame him. And she still loved him.

Yusei felt himself break again as he hugged her tightly and kiss every part of her face, her lips, her watery eyelids, her forehead, until he lost himself in the woman he loved. She loved him, even after the hurt and pain, even after he had allowed such evil to happen. Her compassion struck in the deepest, darkest places he kept locked away, and he felt a love for Akiza so great that he didn't even know it existed.

Everything he knew told him that he was unworthy, unclean, unfit to call her his wife, but she had proven otherwise, healed his wounds where nothing else could. And that man existed again as he held her, whispering words of love, of peace, of comfort and salvation as they grew closer beneath the trees.

They wouldn't let _this_ be taken. Not their love, _never_ their love.

And it was there that they found the strength to move on, to honor Yukai with the rest of their lives. And so they did, and they once again found happiness in each other.

* * *

><p>18 years later...<p>

Yusei and Akiza sat on the porch, watching the scene unfold.

Yasuo, now 14, was dueling his little sister. It had taken them four years, but Yusei and Akiza finally found the courage to have another child, and Yasuo was born. A smaller copy of Yusei, the boy carried a striking resemblance to his father. Cobalt blue eyes, tall and lanky, spiked up hair, everything was a mirrored image. He even dueled with Scraps, because he wanted to see value in things others threw away, he said. Just like his father.

The boy bore that same seriousness of his father, although it was accompanied more by shyness than strength. He was confident enough, unstoppable with a deck in his hands, but his gentle nature allowed him to sooth even the most ferocious people he met. Yasuo had been the greatest blessing Yusei and Akiza had ever received. And just when they thought life couldn't get any better, they were blessed again, this time with Akemi.

Akemi, now 12, was definitely her mother's daughter. Magenta hair and hazel eyes made anyone else swear she was the clone of a younger Akiza. However, unlike her serious and stoic parents, the girl bore more resemblance to Leo in his younger days. Always spunky, always asking questions, never wanting to miss out on a single moment of life. And she seldom did. Her deck consisted of Naturia monsters, adding even more to the resemblance to her mother.

As the couple watched their children playing, they couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of contentment. This was heaven on earth for them, and all the pain they had ever endured was worth it to reach the lives that they lived today. Yusei held Akiza closer to him, inhaling her sweet scent that never failed to make him go crazy with love.

"Akiza?" he asked.

She turned her head to face him. "Hmm?" she replied.

Yusei kissed her neck, causing her to let out a quiet gasp of surprise. She melted into his embrace, their love as fiery and pure as it was all those years ago. He whispered into her ear when he pulled away.

"Thanks...that was all I needed."

Their love was strong, tested by time and trial, and no one could ever tear them apart.

_And miles away, in the projects of New Domino, a boy awoke from his nightmares in a cold sweat_.

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><p>So...Like it? Hate it? Be sure to review and let me know!<p>

I'll try to have the next chapter out in a week or two, so don't worry too much!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, RobotFish here!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugoh 5ds. I only own my characters and plot.

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><p>Chapter 1: The Darker Half<p>

_He saw six lions standing before a throne, each magnificent and strong, leaders of their brothers and sisters. He saw each kneel as a blinding light shone from the throne, praising the lions for their bravery and valor, and the lions bowed their heads in respect._

_He saw six manacles around the lion's paws, each wearing its golden band as it had been bestowed to them, wielding with it the power of the throne's judgment, the power of the shining light entrusted to those worthy and of mortal being. And he saw the lions raise their manacles up to the light, and the bonds shone just as brightly._

_And he saw five of the bonds fall from the wrists of five of the lions, their purpose fulfilled, and the five rose to their feet, free of their chains of duty. He saw the five shine as their bonds had before they faded into the light, out of the realm of eternity and back into the world of the living, gone to live the lives they left behind._

_And he saw the one lion who was the smallest of the six, its manacle still secured around its paw, for its duty was not yet done. He saw the light shine forth to reveal the outline of five cubs, and it was the one's purpose to raise them and guide them. And then he saw the first cub step forth into the light..._

He jolted awake from his dream in a cold sweat.

This was the second time this week that his nightmares had plagued him, images so vivid that he swore they were real. Until he told Kaiser and the man called him a fool.

He rose from his bed in the old house and threw on his clothes, jeans and a worn out shirt, and hastily ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. He gazed at himself with hazel eyes colored with so deep a brown that one might mistake them as black. After fumbling for his shoes, he walked down the hall and into the kitchen. Light was already pouring into the room from the small window above the sink. He had slept late again...

There was already food on the table, a bowl of stale cereal and a cold piece of toast. Kaiser had been up for a while now, and the boy wasn't in the mood to listen to another lecture on how important punctuality is for an 18 year old to have. He grabbed the burnt bread and ate it on the way to the garage, hoping that he could finally make some progress today. He opened the door and saw an older man sitting at a work table, shuffling through a deck of duel monster cards that he recognized as his own. He glared as he walked over.

"Damn Ryuu, I thought I taught you better than some of these card choices," the man said. Kaiser never was one to sugar-coat anything.

They boy snatched the cards away, replacing them in the holster on his belt. "Hasn't let me down so far," he bit back.

Ryuu sat down in the chair opposite of Kaiser, and he proceeded to fumble with a few pieces of scrap metal, trying to replicate his actions from last night in a more effective manner. He knew it was fruitless and that he needed better parts, but he was not the kind of person to admit defeat.

Kaiser laughed and leaned back in his chair. The man was a thin form, sickly even, and his hair was an unnatural shade of gray for a man of 60. He wore a hood to conceal his balding head as his royal blue eyes stared across the table. Ryuu glanced up to see the man's white shirt stained with red in the chest area. His condition had been worsening lately.

"Rough night?" Ryuu inquired, idly rewiring a circuit board.

Kaiser snorted. "Not any worse than usual," he simply said. He was silent after that. He knew what Ryuu was leading into, and it annoyed the teen every time. The boy sighed and set down the mechanics he was holding.

"I had a dream again," he said.

"The same one as before?" Kaiser asked.

Ryuu thought. "Almost...there were a few differences, details I missed the first time, but it was pretty much the same..." he trailed off.

Kaiser stood up, walking over to the refrigerator. "I wouldn't worry about it," he said. "Probably just that chemical crap you work with messing with your head."

"The only reason," the boy said, "that I work with that crap is to try and keep your sorry ass around."

Kaiser gave a short laugh before his face contorted in pain, and the man's hand involuntarily gripped his chest. He reached out for support as he fell, only to be caught by Ryuu, who led him to a chair and sat him down. Ryuu brought the man a glass of water as Kaiser struggled to regain his breath.

Ryuu looked at him, feeling a stab of pity and guilt. "Sometimes I wonder who's caring for who." Kaiser was still grunting in pain, and the teen put a hand on his chest to feel for a pulse. "That deck is killing you faster than I thought," he said, his voice heavy.

The man spoke between gasps. "Yeah, well we live a while and die before we plan. Circle of life, my boy."

The teen felt an even bigger surge of regret as he saw his father figure in pain, the man grabbing his heart as it pumped painfully out of rhythm. He had been trying to come up with a solution ever since he could remember, and when he finally discovered a working design for a pacemaker (or whatever the hell he was trying to build), he discovered that the parts needed were practically nonexistent in the Projects. So much for saving Kaiser's life...

Kaiser was the son of the great Zane Trusdale, master of the cybers and famous pro duelist. Zane's deck, however, posessed dark powers that damaged his heart with use. When Zane died, he passed his deck down to Kaiser in hopes that his son would be able to contain the destructive power of the deck. However, Kaiser had fallen into the same trap and was dying from the deck's influence as well.

Ryuu grabbed his jacket off of the chair where he left it and took the cover off of his jet black Duel Runner. It had taken him over a year to build when he was 14, and he had put it to good use since. Aside from his deck, it was his most prized possession. He started it, letting the engine get warmed up before he rode out. He looked back at Kaiser, who was recovering from his spasm.

"I'm going into the shop, John needs me to for a job. I'll try to pick up the part I need to get the pacemaker running. You'll be alright without me?" he asked.

Kaiser snorted. "I'll be fine. Now go raise hell, or do whatever it is you kids do these days."

Ryuu laughed as he revved his engine and sped out of the garage and into the streets of New Domino City's Projects. He raced through the streets, swerving around what few cars did occupy the roads as he broke almost every traffic law the Projects had to offer. Broken down houses and abandoned buildings flew past, remnants of what was once a source of great hope.

The Projects were an area of development that New Domino city had planned over ten years ago, located in the eastern suburbs of the metropolis. It was originally intended to be an area of commerce and a center of dueling culture, and for a few years, the district was shaping up to be just that.

However, fifteen years ago, the architects of the new district lost their main source of funding for reasons still unknown, and many investors pulled out as the builder's stocks fell, causing a panic to occur. Many companies and residents abandoned their claims in the Projects, breaking their contracts and ending all involvement with the entire area. The builders, in order to salvage whatever money they could, hastily finished houses, discarded entire structures as fruitless endeavors, all in order to squeeze whatever money they could out of their contracts.

After five years of this, the Projects were overrun by the poor and the juvenile. With only a few brave souls living in the area, the Projects became a hotspot for those who couldn't afford a house, and those who wanted to keep a low profile. The southern end of the district was friendly enough, mostly populated by people down on their luck, just trying to survive and make ends meet. Kaiser and Ryuu lived in an abandoned garage the older man had found some time ago and fixed up, choosing to take Ryuu under his care after his previous guardians gave him away. Their lives were mean, but they managed to survive.

The northern end of the Projects, on the other hand, was a bad place to be. Many of the larger, corporate buildings had been planned to be built there, and their remnants made for easy pickings to any felon or gang who wanted an inconspicuous hideout. No one from the southern end dared travel to the north, unless it was worth risking their lives (which it seldom was). Not even sector security wanted to get involved.

Ryuu pulled up to the mechanic shop and parked his runner inside in its usual spot. He dismounted to see a young man with dirty blonde hair of around twenty walking towards him.

He gave a smile. "John, how are things?"

John shrugged. "Could be better. You mind giving me a hand with this runner? It's been giving Patrick and me hell, and you're the expert on anything Turbo."

Ryuu nodded and walked with John to the runner, where his brother Patrick was already readjusting parts. John and Patrick were fraternal twins that grew up in the projects with Ryuu, and the three had been inseparable since childhood. The twin's mother was Irish, and her accent had rubbed off on each of them. They were almost every way, except for their hair; John's was a dirty shade of blonde while Patrick's was jet black.

The three boys worked together in the shop most of the week, fixing duel runners, cars, computers, anything that would earn them cash. The picking were meager, but it was enough to live on, and enough was about as good as it got in the Projects. Ryuu had heard legends of how the Satellite was once like this, its inhabitants enslaved to work for the other half while they barely managed to survive.

And their situation wasn't very different. Any job application or resume that listed an address, guardian or reference that went back to the Projects was instantly red-flagged, and the applicant was immediately labeled as slum trash, unfit for employment, enrollment, or New Domino life in general. The prejudice was bitter, and most of the hate stemmed out of the entire city's humiliation at having their hopeful project turn into a stain of failure.

And so, when Ryuu came into Kaiser's care, he was treated no differently.

Many people dreamed of escaping their lives in the Projects and finding a job in New Domino (the two were practically separate entities by now), and some occasionally did. There were always rumors of someone faking a good enough document to land them a foothold in the city, and they were never heard from in the Projects again. Ryuu, on the other hand, had no desire to escape. Why should he be a part of a society that cast him out? He was proud of who he was, and he held a small amount of resentment towards those in New Domino simply because they had everything they needed. The only reason he would possibly want to go to New Domino would be to help Kaiser with his heart problem, but he doubted that any doctor could give much help anyways.

So, he worked in silence, not trying to better his lot in life, but only seeking to better his friends' lives. After a few hours, John and Patrick had moved onto a laptop while he made the finishing tweaks on the runner. He gave the engine a test start, and the motor roared as it came alive. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was already late afternoon, and he needed to see if he could find that capacitor...

John walked over, a sly smile on his face as he observed the runner. "Not bad. For a scrub like yourself, that is."

Ryuu chuckled. "At least I can ride 'em, Johnnyboy."

"Hmmm," John mocked. "I think I've just been issued a challenge, how about you Pat?"

Patrick didn't even avert his gaze from the laptop. "Don't do it John, Ryuu's gonna kick your ass again."

"Hey, that last time didn't count!" cried John. He turned back to Ryuu. "Whaddaya say, brother? Me against you, for about..." he fished in his pocket and slapped a bill on the table. "twenty big ones?"

"Fine by me," said Ryuu, slapping down a bill of his own. Patrick just shook his head as the two mounted their runners and pulled them into the streets. John was the more cavalier of the two brothers, always looking for a thrill while Patrick pulled him back from doing anything too stupid. Most of the time anyways.

The two duelists revved their engines as they activated Speed World, and John wore a toothy smile. "Don't get too comfortable over there, Ryuu. I'm about to blow you away!"

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later...<p>

"THERE IS NO FREAKING WAY YOU PULLED THAT OUT!" cried John as he and Ryuu pulled back into the garage. Ryuu smiled and swept up the money on the table top, pocketing his winnings as he collected his belongings. It was time for him to head out, he still needed to drop by the scrap yard for that part. But John was having a hard time accepting his loss.

"Ryuu!" cried John. "That was some luck! I'm telling you, your deck is sacky, nothing more!"

Patrick laughed. "So what's your excuse this time?" he crooned. Pissing off his twin brother was one of Patrick's pleasures in life.

John growled. "Okay, so it was like this. I had my Lyla and Ryko on the field, and I had Ryuu up against the ropes. Then, he played his Faultroll, and I chained my trap card, but..."

He continued on for a few minutes while Ryuu listened patiently. Although he would never admit it, dueling with the twins was Ryuu's favorite thing in the world to do. It let him forget everything that was going wrong in his life and escape for those few minutes, be free from the chains he was bound by. And he would never trade that for anything. Plus, if John wanted to throw away his money, they it was fine by him.

Patrick was elated as John finally sulked off to the back, wallowing in his defeat. Anyone else would think the twin brothers hated each other, but Ryuu knew it was all in good fun. Which brought him to his second favorite thing in the world; listening to two Irish brothers chew each other out in their accents was nothing short of hilarious.

He made to leave when Patrick motioned him over. The twin placed a spherical metal object on the table, and Ryuu picked it up to examine it. His eyes widened when he realized what it was.

"This is it!" he cried. "This is the capacitor I need to finish the pacemaker!"

Patrick smiled. "I heard you were close, so I thought I'd lend a hand. Plus, none of us would be anywhere without Kaiser."

Ryuu smiled at his friend's kindness. Kaiser was somewhat of a living legend in the Projects, as he was the only person in the entire district who had ever seen the pro dueling tour. The old man had been instrumental in keeping the youth of the south Projects on the right track. He taught them all how to duel, but also the value of living an unselfish life. He was the father of everyone in the district, and Ryuu was well known because of his association with the man. And because of some other rumors that dealt with his dueling (but that was a different story altogether). Kaiser had voluntarily retired early to live in the Projects, but most people didn't know what made him give up his previous life. Ryuu did. Kaiser's heart had taken a beating over the years, and dueling worsened his condition tenfold. If the old man were to pick up a duel disk, he would probably go into cardiac arrest.

The pacemaker was a collaborative effort by Ryuu and the twins, but Ryuu was the mastermind behind it. It was a device specifically designed for Kaiser's heart, and if it worked properly, then the man's heart problems would be over. With a little refinement of the design, he might even be able to duel again. This capacitor was the final piece in Ryuu's current design (he had been through two already, the last failure almost killing both Kaiser and himself), and with it, he would be ready to test the finished product in less than two weeks. He was slightly nervous about testing it, but he was confident that he got it right this time.

With any luck, the old man would be able to live without pain. But luck wasn't a good thing to count on in the Projects.

* * *

><p>After giving Patrick a big thank you, Ryuu raced back to Kaiser's house. He wasn't going to wait to start this, four years was more time than he ever expected this to take. He sped through the streets and finally arrived, and he opened the garage and pulled his runner in. It was evening, and the sun was hovering over the horizon.<p>

Ryuu turned off the engine and shut the door, hanging up his jacket and walking to the fridge. He hadn't eaten since lunch, and he was starving.

"Kaiser, you want anything to eat?" he called, pulling out a can of beans. No oven meant no hot food, but cold beans were better than no beans. He poured them into a bowl and looked back into the fridge for some ham. Maybe they still had leftovers...

And the silence became eerie. "Kaiser?" he called, louder this time. There was still no response.

He closed the fridge door and slowly walked through the house, passing back through the garage. He scanned the room for anything that might indicate that Kaiser had left. His overcoat was still here, and he never left without that...

"Kaiser?" Ryuu called again, fear starting build up inside him. He crept back into the house, making his way to the old man's bedroom. He knew something was wrong. Even if Kaiser was sleeping, he would have woken up by now. The air felt heavy as Ryuu reached his door and found it closed. His breathing quickened, and his stomach pulled itself into a sickening knot. Slowly, he turned the doorknob and peered in.

"Kaiser!" Ryuu shouted, running over to his prone form. The old man was shaking on the ground, his body moving in painful spasms as he clutched his chest, as if trying to tear out his own hear. Ryuu shifted the man's weight to a sitting position as Kaiser's breath came in short, labored gasps. The teen was about to call for help when he noticed the cards strewn across the floor.

_'Oh no, not again!'_

Hastily, Ryuu gathered up the deck from the floor and placed it back in its mirrored box, which had been thrown halfway across the room. When that was done, he moved to help the man again, who was still hyperventilating, his face pale with pain.

"C'mon, just breathe!" cried Ryuu. Kaiser looked up at him, a look of guilt in his eyes as he struggled to speak.

"I-I'm s-sorry, but-" he was cut off as a series of violent coughs shook his frame, and blood spurted out of his mouth. Ryuu wiped the red, sticky liquid away with his sleeve. Kaiser's breathing was slowing down, and some color was returning to his face. The teen breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was alright for now...

Kaiser laid his head back again the side of the bed while Ryuu stood. The episode was over, but Ryuu was far from happy. "What the hell were you thinking?" he cried. "You know what that deck does to you!"

The old man coughed again. "I'm sorry Ryuu," he said, his voice scratchy and hoarse. "They were calling out to me, I couldn't resist..."

Ryuu just shook his head and picked up the mirrored box. For some reason, a reflective surface reduced their influence on the old man. He placed it back on the top shelf before Kaiser had a chance to get near it again. It made Ryuu angry whenever Kaiser pulled a stunt like that. He was closer than he had ever been to completing the pacemaker and the old fool almost stops his own heart before it was completed.

"Damn cybers," muttered Ryuu, hating every card in that deck with all of his being. Kaiser's father had recognized the danger of that deck, so why couldn't he? It had almost gotten the both of them killed on numerous occasions, and Ryuu didn't understand why they couldn't throw it away. He had once tried, and every card mysteriously ended up back on his front porch, where Kaiser found them and had one of his episodes. That had been a very bad day.

He helped the old man up into his bed and turned out the light. Some sleep would make him good as new. Ryuu was about to leave when Kaiser called out to him.

"Ryuu..." he muttered.

The teen kneeled beside his bed and met his eyes. "Just rest, you'll be better in the morning."

Kaiser laughed, coughing in the process. He spoke between forces breaths "...I...I never told you how much...it means to me...that you do this for me..." Another fit of coughing. "And...I've tried to raise you...as best as I could...I only hope...I haven't failed you..."

Ryuu was taken aback by these words. Kaiser was known for his sarcasm and arrogant attitude, and moments such as these were extremely rare. Kaiser had been far from the perfect guardian, but he had given Ryuu something that the teen would never have had otherwise, and the boy owed Kaiser his life in his opinion. Ryuu felt his eyes sting with tears as he saw his father figure in such a weak state, pouring out his soul. No...he wouldn't cry. Real men never cry...

Kaiser fell into a deep sleep, and Ryuu closed the door silently behind him. The old man would be alright now, and Ryuu needed to get to work on the pacemaker. He sat down at the table in the garage, taking out the capacitor and beginning the tedious process of adapting it to the proper resistance. He tried to concentrate on his work, but his focus was constantly broken by the scene that had just unfolded.

Finally, after failing to achieve the correct recalibration for the fifth time, Ryuu set the deice down and walked over to his runner. He wasn't going to be able to sleep after that anyways, so he might as well ride. His eye caught the crevice in the wall where a certain object laid, and he walked over to it. He knew he shouldn't, but it was so tempting to put it on, to become invincible, to be that person that never lost or failed. Maybe this is what Kaiser felt every time he touched the deck...

"_Just take it_," the voice said.

"No," Ryuu growled. "I've done enough of it lately."

"_You know you want to_," it replied. Ryuu saw a figure step out of the shadows, a cloaked humaniod wearing the same mask that he himself donned on those dark nights. "_Come now, there's fresh meat waiting to cleaved. Wear it_," he replied.

"Shup up, you're not even real." Ryuu walked over to the wall, removing a jet black mask that so many had come to fear. He ran his fingers over it, almost caressing it. "We...we need to lay low for a while. People might notice..."

"_No one will dare cross us_," the voice replied. "_And just because I only exist inside your head doesn't make me any less real_."

Ryuu shook his head, trying to resist the temptation. It seems that everyone had their demons. Without a second though, Ryuu reached into the crevice and drew out the articles of clothing inside. He started at the key piece for a moment before fixing it over his face, and when he opened his eyes, he felt that change within himself. That rush of defiance and danger that never failed to get his blood pumping.

He threw on the black jacket and rode north on his runner, not looking back.

And he could swear he heard the roar of a lion in the distance.


	3. Chapter 3

Sup guys, RobotFish here!

I finally got around to rewriting this story, and I hope you enjoy it! Not too much has changed, I mainly just replaced stuff that I felt was unnecessary to the plot.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh 5ds, I only own my OCs and my storyline.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2: Wayward and Onward<p>

"No fair Kitana! You always beat me with that card!" the boy cried.

Kitana Atlas smirked, feeling an immense amount of satisfaction as she was about to beat her little brother yet again. Jacob should have known better than to challenge her in order to impress the faculty at Duel Academy, and now he was about to pay the price. Kitana had made quick work of his deck, and now all there was left to do was strike the final blow.

Kitana raised her hand in the air. "Now Legendary Six Samurai Shi En, attack Dragunity Knight Vajrayana!"

Her armor-clad warrior drew its sword and lunged towards Jacob's dragon. With one quick strike, it severed the beast's head and jumped away as the body exploded into a thousand fragments of light. Jacob fell to his knees as the rest of his life points were drained, and Kitana smirked as the judge declared her the victor.

Kitana walked over to her brother. How many times would that boy touch the fire before he learned that it burns? "Next time," she said, offering her hand to Jacob. "Don't overextend on your second turn."

Jacob accepted her hand and pulled himself up. "But I had you on the ropes! Your field was empty!" he cried.

"I still had four cards in my hand, Jacob," Kitana replied. "You had none after that turn. The only reason you even lasted that long was because you got lucky and top decked Dragunity Dux."

"Yeah, yeah," the boy replied. Even though his sister meant well by trying to help him become a better duelist, it sometimes got annoying when she pointed out all of his mistakes. Jacob's pride mirrored that of his father's, after all.

Kitana smiled. "Don't worry, you're a great duelist. I'm sure that one day you'll be at the top of the pro league, just like dad." Jacob shrugged, and Kitana gave him a pat on the shoulder. "C'mon, we'll be late for the assembly."

If you asked anyone in Duel Academy, Kitana Atlas was the undisputed champion of the school. She was ranked number one in her class, and had only lost two duels in her entire four years there (once to Yasuo and once to some kid from North Academy, both of which she defeated numerous times later). At 17 years old, she was one of the most promising young duelists in all of New Domino City. She had even pulled out a few wins against sponsored duelists with her Six Samurai deck. It was fitting that she played Six Sam; the swarming ability of the deck was a reflection of her unyielding personality.

Even though Kitana displayed unmatched ferocity in a duel, she was loving and protective of those she cared about. There was no doubt that her gentleness, her long, raven hair and slender figure were reflective of Carly's, but her hypnotic violet eyes came straight from Jack. She was kind like her mother, but strong like her father, empathetic to those around her while possessing that 'don't mess with me' persona. The guys who considered themselves studs in Duel Academy had given up trying to woo Kitana long ago once they figured out that her pretty face and beautiful body were backed up by a tough-as-nails spirit.

And if Kitana was her mother's daughter, then Jacob Atlas was definitely his father's son. It was no mystery where his blonde hair and confident (borderline cocky) persona came from, and if you saw him and Yasuo dueling together, you could easily mistake them for Yusei and Jack any day. Jacob, now 14 years old, was in his first year at Duel Academy while his sister was on her last, and the young boy was always trying to live up to his father's name and his sister's reputation. Most of the time he succeeded, but Jacob carried an inherent recklessness and yearning for glory that constantly got him into trouble. Again, no mystery where that came from.

It was fall in New Domino City, and the first quarter of school was coming to an end. The assembly that precluded the two weeks off from school was in half an hour, and Kitana and Jacob walked to the Duel Academy auditorium together. Jacob was still sulking over his loss, so Kitana remained silent as they went through the halls.

The siblings were soon greeted by a friendly voice. "Hey Kitana!" the heard.

They turned to see two other people jogging towards them. Kitana smiled and waved. "Hey Yasuo, hey Akemi!" she said.

Turns out that friendships can be handed down to the next generation as well. The Fudo and Atlas kids had been inseparable during the years that they had known each other, just as their parents were all those years ago (and still were to that day). Yasuo and Jacob were nothing short of best friends, and Kitana might as well have been Akemi's big sister. The four were a family, their bonds of friendship as strong as any blood relations.

Akemi smiled at her 'big sis'. "Congrats on being the top duelist Kitana! You deserve it!"

Kitana smiled back. "Thanks Akemi, I appreciate it."

Yasuo also offered his congratulations, and the four began to walk together to the auditorium. Next year, after Kitana graduated from Duel Academy, Yasuo Fudo was rumored to take over the number one spot as a Sophomore, one of the few students to ever accomplish such a feat. It was actually a fitting swap since Kitana had helped Yasuo achieve the level of skill he demonstrated on a daily basis. It was nice feeling like she was leaving a legacy behind, like she had made her mark on the academy.

Yasuo nudged Kitana. "So, who's the lucky duelist who gets to challenge you in the Fortune Bowl?"

The older girl chuckled. "Yasuo, I don't even know if the Chancellor will choose me yet."

"Aww, come on!" Yasuo cried. "Of course he's going to choose you! So spill it, who are you going to pick?"

Jacob jumped ahead and posed in his signature Atlas stance. "I know the perfect challenger!" he cried, pointing to himself with both thumbs.

Kitana just shook her head in amusement. Her brother had been bugging her about this ever since the beginning of the year. It became a yearly tradition in Duel Academy for the faculty to select the one student they believed had shown superior skill and exceptional talent in the past few years, and offer them an invite to duel in the Fortune Bowl (the younger cousin of the annual Fortune Cup). The student chosen was then given two invitations, one for themselves, one for another duelist of their choosing. It could be any New Domino resident, so long as they could duel and had no serious legal offenses on their record. It was strongly suggested that the opponent be under 20, but not required.

The winner of this duel was usually offered a scholarship to New Domino University (provided they were young enough and willing to enroll), and almost all of the time, it was the top student who emerged victorious. In fact, the students who issued the invitations usually picked someone just below their skill level and age group in order to ensure an exciting duel, but still guarantee themselves a win. The obvious choice for Kitana would be Yasuo, but the young woman had not made her decision just yet.

"Sorry Jacob, not this time," Kitana said.

Jacob threw himself towards his sister and sunk to his knees on the floor, kneeling before her. "Please please please let me duel you! I'll be the best match you ever play!" he cried. He clasped his hands together as if praying and put on his best puppy dog eyes.

Yasuo grabbed Jacob's ear and yanked him to his feet, eliciting a loud yelp from the boy. "Knock it off Jacob, you're embarrassing yourself," he teased.

Akemi ran forward and smacked Yasuo's hand away, clinging to Jacob's arm. She was met by an annoyed stare from her brother and a surprised smile from Jacob. "Well, I think it was very sweet," Akemi said in her perky voice, always full of sunshine. "You would make a great opponent Jacob!" Yasuo gave a hapless sigh. It was no secret that Akemi liked Jacob (as in 'like liked'), and no matter how many times he would deny it, it was obvious Jacob liked her back as well. Of course, both of them were too young to know how to express their feelings, so they simply stayed friends and ignored the occasional stirrings and ripe red blushes that graced their faces when they were close.

Yasuo and Kitana shot each other a knowing glance. Each thought the whole thing was silly. Yasuo and Kitana were close friends, but there was no romance between the eldest children of the Fudo and Atlas families. But both of them loved their little siblings, so they didn't tease them about their puppy love too often. But sometimes, the temptation to poke a little fun at the young lovebirds was too much to resist. Kitana had heard stories about how obvious Yusei and Akiza were (she knew them as Mr. and Mrs. Fudo), but she couldn't imagine how anyone could possibly be more out rightly flagrant with their feelings than her brother and Akemi.

After Akemi and Jacob got over the little moment they had, the four entered the auditorium, all taking seats next to one another and waiting for the ceremony to start. Kitana overheard Yasuo and Jacob talking about the duel that had just occurred, and Jacob was yet again trying to justify his loss. Yasuo knew better, but let his friend rant anyways. Just like Yusei and Jack.

Akemi was too busy admiring Jacob while he was distracted, leaving Kitana to her own thoughts. Who was she going to choose for the duel? Assuming she was chosen of course...oh to hell with it, of course she was going to be chosen. There was always Yasuo, but that just seemed too easy. Not that the duel would be a piece of cake, Yasuo never failed to give her a challenge. But she felt like she was slighting someone, somewhere of a chance at a life in NDU by choosing her friend instead.

And besides, she and Yasuo ran tests and practice duels against each other all the time, so dueling him would just be another friendly match against an old friend, even if it was televised. There wouldn't be that feeling of excited tension in the dueling ring that was so addicting to duelist and fan alike. And while her desire wasn't as strong as Jacob's, Kitana also had a thirst to prove herself as a strong duelist. She didn't want to guarantee herself a victory. She wanted to duel against the best, and win or lose, that was exactly what she was going to do.

There was a fumbling with the microphone, and Chancellor Shepherd cleared his throat.

"Hello students, and welcome to the first quarterly assembly here at Duel Academy. I trust all of you are ready for your fall break?" There was a thundering applause in the auditorium from the students, and Shepherd raised his hands for quiet. "Well I am too," he said with a smile.

The Chancellor went on about how exciting it was to preside over such an extraordinary group of duelists and scholars, and how everyone should continue to perform at their best. Kitana barely heard any of his speech, too wrapped up in her ponderings to pay attention.

She could always invite some young duelist on the pro tour, like that Jason Yuki kid she heard about. He traveled, but his residence was in New Domino, so it could work. However, that Yuki kid (and any other young professional she could think of) was way above her skill level, and getting crushed into the dust by a pro duelist on TV was not a very alluring prospect. Kitana wanted to challenge herself, not paint a target on her back and hand someone else a sniper rifle. Plus, that would look bad if she wanted that scholarship...

Everyone else she could think of wouldn't work either. Jacob wasn't ready to duel on that level yet, and Kitana didn't want to push her little brother beyond his limits, even if he thought he was ready. Akemi was only 12, much too young for such a task. Her other friends wouldn't put up much of a fight either (not because they were bad duelists, but because they would probably resign themselves to defeat long before the duel began). So...who else was there?

Shepherd took a deep breath. "Now, I know you all want to hear who is going to be this year's student to participate in the Fortune Bowl." More thundering applause, and Kitana snapped out of her trance. "So, without further adieu, I give you your top senior of the year..."

Pause for effect...

"Kitana Atlas!"

There was a roar from the students, and Kitana smiled and stood, making her way to the stage to receive her award. She climbed the stairs up to the podium and shook Chancellor Shepherd's hand, accepting his congratulations. She paused for a moment to receive more applause from the students, bowing to them as they clapped. She caught a glance of Yasuo in the crowd, who was wearing a smirk that clearly said 'I told you so'.

The Chancellor then handed Kitana two white envelopes sealed with a red stamp. "I present you with these two invitations to the Fortune Bowl, one for yourself and one for another young duelist that you deem worthy to participate in such an event. Congratulations Kitana, and may you always trust in the power of your deck."

Kitana beamed and gave a short nod, accepting the invitations. She walked off the stage and back to her seat, whispering thank yous to the many students she passed. The Chancellor raised the mic to his mouth. "This concludes our assembly. Remember to attend the Fortune Bowl this coming week, and have a safe break everyone!"

There was a stampede of students to the doors, all excited to be off school for two weeks. The four friends joined in on the rush and were swept out of the academy and into the courtyard, where they said their goodbyes and began to walk home.

Jacob was going on about everything he was going to do during the break, but Kitana was in her own world, still thinking about who her opponent should be. After much deliberation, she came to the conclusion that she would only use Yasuo as a last resort. In the days up until the Bowl, she would scour the city on her runner for the best duelists she could find, observing their skill and testing their talent. And if fate was kind, she would find an opponent.

But Jacob wasn't giving up. "So sis, now that the others are gone, you're going to pick me right?" he said.

Kitana gave an annoyed sigh. "Look Jacob, you're not ready-"

"Yes I am!" he cried. Kitana was taken aback by his aggressiveness. Usually, Jacob was not very confrontational when it came to serious issues, so an outburst such as this one was out of character for the young boy.

"Just calm down," Kitana said. "You're only a freshman, you have three whole years until that time."

Jacob shook his head, his fists clenched and trembling. "I'm sick of you patronizing me!" he cried. "You know I want this more than anything, so why can't you just let me have a few moments in the spotlight?"

Kitana was trying to be gentle with her brother, but his blind fury was causing her temper to build. Why didn't he see that she was only trying to help him develop his skills before taking on such a huge task? "Jacob, I know you're upset, but your time will come. Just get yourself together and trust me," she said.

Jacob growled, and a few tears welled up in his eyes. The poor boy only wanted to prove himself, to be the best at what he loved, but he didn't realize that he had to wait for that to happen."Whatever. Thanks for nothing," Jacob hissed and walked ahead of Kitana, making any further conversation unviable.

Kitana felt a pang of hurt and a wave frustration as Jacob's insult hit her. Sometimes, it was hard for the siblings to love each other, but in the end they always made up.

She just hoped that this time would be sooner rather than later.

* * *

><p>"Mom, Dad, we're home!" Kitana cried as she stepped into the house.<p>

It was a relatively modest house, considering her dad's occupation, but it was still labeled as 'uppity' by most. She set her backpack down on the table in the kitchen and walked into the living room. Her parents, Jack and Carly, were sitting on the couch together. An unexpected guest was in the rocking chair, talking with her friends.

Kitana was surprised to see her. "Oh, Mrs. Fudo. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here," she said.

Akiza smiled. "It's fine Kitana. And how many times have I told you to call me Akiza?" she jested.

"Right, sorry Mrs. - erm, Akiza," Kitana said. Akiza had been like a second mother to the young girl, just as Carly had been like a second mother to Akemi and Yasuo. The Fudos and Atlases were in truth, one big family, and they were stuck with each other whether they liked it or not. Most of the time, they got along perfectly.

Akiza Fudo, or Dr. Fudo as most knew her nowadays, was one of the most celebrated and influential Duel Monster Theorists in the world. After the death of her and Yusei's first child, she had gone to NDU and earned a doctorate in Duel Monster Theory and also a degree in Telekinetic Pathology. Not actually a medical practitioner, Akiza specialized in research related to dueling, and she held special interest in the area of psychic duelists. She even founded an organization dedicated to providing assistance to psychics with particularly dangerous abilities that helped them gain control of their powers.

Being a psychic herself, Akiza identified strongly with the people she helped. In fact, she was considered by some to be the founder of modern telekinetic and telepathic theory, and the articles she had written were studied with textbook precision. And to top it all off, Akiza still packed a mean punch with her deck.

And of course, Yusei Fudo was still the reigning King of the pro turbo dueling tour. Just as his wife had revolutionized the field of the supernatural, he had revolutionized the world of turbo dueling. His strategies were unmatched, his deck unbeatable, and each match was a testament to why he was the best of the best. In fact, he had only been de-throned once in the past 18 years, when Jack had taken back the crown for a short two year period (it was actually a great convenience for Yusei and Akiza, as it left them more time to care for 2 year old Yasuo and Akemi, who was born three months after Yusei lost the title).

But despite his brilliance in the ring, Yusei would be forever known as the creator of the Speed World 3 field spell card. The next installment in the Speed World series had once again led to the growth of the dueling industry, and the patent Yusei held had earned him a fortune. The Fudos donated most of their money however, preferring to live a simple life with their children and friends. From an outsider's point of view, they were the fairy tale of the dueling world, but the road there had not been an easy one.

Carly stood up and hugged her daughter, eliciting an embarrassed sigh from Kitana. "It's good to have you home," she said.

"Thanks mom," Kitana muttered.

"Akiza came by for a short interview on her new article, and I guess we lost track of the time," Carly chirped. She and Akiza had been best friends since their teenage years, and little had changed since then. Carly was now the head of New Domino's leading Newspaper, but still wrote articles on Duel Monsters when she had the chance. Journalism was still her passion, and she would never give it up.

Jack cleared his throat. "Well, it's no problem for us. You can stay if you like, Akiza."

Akiza smiled and picked up her purse. "Oh, no thanks. I should be getting back to Yusei and the kids, they probably are waiting on me for dinner."

Jack was still doing his thing on the pro tour, but with much less of an attitude than before. He still carried that arrogance with him that was trademark of all the males in the Atlas family, but his children had softened up the tough guy by quite a bit. Jack had also smoothed things over with Akiza. They never talked about it, but after the incident with Yukai, Jack had never said another unkind word to the magenta haired psychic. He didn't want to even imagine what he would feel if Kitana or Jacob were taken from him.

Akiza bid everyone farewell and left the Atlas residence, leaving Kitana with her parents. "So, how was school?" Jack asked.

Kitana smirked. Her father never asked that question, it was always Carly who inquired about her children's day. What Jack was really asking about was whether she was chosen as the top duelist. Kitana produced the two invitations from her pocket and showed them to her parents.

Carly let out an excited squeal and moved in for more hugs while Jack wore a proud smile and joined in on the action as well. Carly was happy with her children as long as they stayed out of trouble and were happy with their lives. Jack shared this sentiment to an extent, but he always hoped that his children would follow in his footsteps as a duelist and carry on the family name. But he never pushed Kitana and Jacob to duel, instead letting them choose their own paths. And so far, he was pleased with their choices.

They sat down together after the hugs were over. Carly look around the room. "Where's Jacob?" she asked.

Kitana shrugged. "Probably sulking in his room. He got mad when I wouldn't pick him to be my opponent next week."

"Don't worry," Jack said. "He'll come around after a while." He gave his daughter a sly stare. "So...if I had to guess, I would say that your second invitation might as well be in Yasuo's hands right now."

Kitana shook her head. "Nope," she said, earning a confused stare from her parents. They thought for sure that Kitana would pick her long time dueling partner to participate in the Fortune Bowl with her. Plus, Jack was convinced that his rivalry with Yusei had carried on to the next generation when it really didn't exist between the younger Fudos and Atlases. "In fact, I don't really know who I'm going to choose. I was going to look for someone in the next few days," she admitted.

Carly gave a reassuring smile. "Well, I'm sure whoever you decide on will be fine, sweetie." Jack nodded as well, reaffirming his wife's words.

Kitana sighed, flopping onto the couch. "I hope so..."

She let herself drift in and out of consciousness as Carly went into the kitchen to prepare dinner and Jack went to his study to work on his deck list for his duel the next day. Kitana had had a tough few days, going through a gauntlet of grueling matches at Duel Academy to secure her spot at the top of the class. She had sacrificed a good amount of sleep, and the late nights working on her main deck and side deck were taking their toll. The TV droned as Kitana dozed.

_"And in recent news, two duelists from the New Domino City Projects were rushed to the ICU after suffering serious injuries resulting from turbo duels. The two men claimed that they were both confronted by a masked duelist, who sabotaged their runners with his mysterious powers after defeating them. Some believe this incident to be the work of the infamous 'Black Spirit' of the projects, but Sector Security continues to claim that this fabled duelist does not exist. So far, investigators have yet to determine any potential suspects..."_

* * *

><p>Yasuo Fudo sat in his room, reading the latest issue of his favorite dueling magazine when he heard a rapping on his windowsill. He checked the lock on his dresser, which read 12:27 a.m. before getting off of his bed and walking over his blinds to see what all the commotion was about.<p>

Yasuo was considered by most to be the prodigy child of the famous Yusei and Akiza Fudo. He was dueling at a high school level by the age of 10, and now at the age of 14, he could put up a good fight against most semi-pro players. Sometimes it was daunting to always live in the shadow cast by his parents, but for the most part, Yasuo didn't mind. His parents only wanted him to be happy, they didn't expect him to live up to the family name (although the boy was doing it anyways).

He threw open the blinds and nearly screamed when he saw Jacob scaling the side of the house, mouthing 'Let me in!' to Yasuo. Quickly, he opened the window and pulled Jacob into his room, madly gesturing for his friend to be quiet. He gently closed the pane of glass, desperately trying to not make any noise.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Yasuo hissed. "My parents find out you snuck over and I'm grounded for sure!"

Jacob dusted off his jacket and held up his hands in innocence. "Just relax dude! They won't know," said.

The raven haired boy shook his head. Some people never learned. "Alright, fine. Just try to keep it down," he whispered.

Jacob gave him a thumbs up, and they sat down in the room. It was actually not a rare occurrence for one of the two to sneak into the other's room at night. The reasons for doing so usually dealt with Jacob trying to persuade Yasuo to come to a big midnight sneak peak, or something of the like. They usually were secretive enough to get away with it, but sometimes the plans backfired.

Yasuo did his share of persuasion too, but he was much more cautious now than he was before. Two months ago, he had talked Jacob into sneaking out for the Storm of Ragnarok midnight sneak peak, and the two were busted on their way back inside. Yasuo was grounded for two weeks, and he had to forfeit the cards from his booster packs until his sentence was over. Now _that_ was cruel and unnecessary punishment.

Which was why Yasuo was less than enthusiastic about seeing his best friend. "So what is it this time?" he asked.

Jacob put on a serious expression. "Okay, look. You and I both know that Kitana has apparently gone crazy and disregarded us as opponents in the Fortune Bowl."

Yasuo shrugged. "We're freshmen, Jacob. Freshmen never duel in the Bowl, it's like an unwritten rule."

It was true. Any senior with half a brain would never even think about giving an invitation to a freshman, no matter how skilled the underclassman was. There was a certain political incorrectness that came with it, one that all seniors tried to avoid.

"I know, but _what if_," Jacob said. Yasuo hated those two words, they had gotten him into more jams than he could count. "What if we did something so impressive that Kitana had to pick us?"

"First of all," Yasuo said, "I don't want to duel in the Bowl. Do you know how much flak we would catch from the other students? Second, Kitana is very hard to impress, you should know. And third, my butt is still sore from the whooping my dad gave me after I snuck out last time, and I'm not very eager to earn another licking from him. So no thanks, I'm out."

Jacob snickered. "Oh come on. You're not chicken are you?" he teased.

"Goodnight Jacob," Yasuo hissed, turning over in his bed and shutting off the light.

Jacob shrugged and stood up, making his way towards the window. "Fine, your loss. Guess I'll take all the glory for myself," he said.

"And all the punishment too," Yasuo replied. Despite Jacob's confidence, there remained one large flaw in his plan. In order to impress Kitana, they would have to tell her what they did that was so noteworthy, which meant revealing that they snuck out. Not the best method for gaining approval.

"Just out of curiosity," said Yasuo. "What are you planning on doing that's so impressive?"

Jacob gave his signature mischievous smile. "Oh, nothing too big..."

"...I'm going to defeat the Black Spirit," he declared.

Yasuo's heart skipped a beat when he heard this, and he slowly turned to face Jacob. Was this kid insane? "Jacob," Yasuo cautioned. "The Black Spirit is the most dangerous duelist in the city! He's hospitalized like a dozen duelists this month alone!"

Jacob thought for a moment. "Yeah, but weren't all those guys like felons or something?"

"Doesn't matter," Yasuo replied. "You're an idiot if you go looking for that guy. He probably doesn't even exist!"

"Well how else do you explain all of the recent turbo dueling accidents?" Jacob asked.

Yasuo posed in a mock-scholarly fashion. "Well, let's see. Gang disputes, a faulty company release, a series of vigilantes, drunk drivers, bad roads-"

"Okay okay!" Jacob cried. "If he doesn't exist, then what's your problem?"

Yasuo glared. "If the Black Spirit doesn't get you, then the Project's gangs will. It's a dangerous place out there, and I enjoy my legs not being broken with a lead pipe," he said.

Jacob let out a frustrated growl. "Fine, don't come along. I'll find the Black Spirit on my own!" he cried. He hopped up and hoisted himself back out of the window, and before Yasuo could utter another word, he was gone. Yasuo sighed and angrily laid back down on his bed. Stupid Jacob, the boy was going to get himself killed. Going to the Projects alone like that...

All alone. Yasuo sighed, trying to suppress his conscience. Just don't think about it, just don't imagine Jacob scared and forlorn in the slums, just waiting to be crushed by the first gangster to find him. No...he probably wasn't even going anyways, right? It was all just a joke...yeah that was it...just a joke...

And so what if Jacob did get hurt? It was his fault, not Yasuo's. It would be good for that reckless ass to learn a lesson. That is, assuming he lived to see tomorrow. Yasuo clamped his eyes shut, ineffectively trying to ignore the nagging voice in the back of his mind. Was he really just going to leave his best friend to face the Projects alone? No, no, no! Stop it! It wasn't his battle, it was Jacob's choice, not his...not his...

"Dammit," Yasuo breathed, hopping up and grabbing his duel disk. "Jacob!" he cried.

The blonde poked his head up through the window. "Sup?" he said. The bastard probably never left, knowing that Yasuo would give in to guilt.

Yasuo sighed. "I'm going to regret this, but I'm going with you," he said.

Jacob smiled and fist pumped. "That's the spirit!" he cried. "Get it? _Spirit_...that's the...spirit..."

"Yeah...very clever," Yasuo muttered as he hoisted himself out of the window. This was already turning out to be a bad idea, but Jacob had the ability to make him stick through anything, no matter how many red flags were raised. The two dropped down to the ground and began running towards the bus stop.

"For the record," said Yasuo. "I still think we're complete idiots for doing this."

"Aww, lighten up man!" Jacob cried. "What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

><p>Like it? Be sure to review and let me know!<p>

Next chapter will be similar to the one I removed, with a few changes. It's important that you reread it though.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm a little discouraged at the lack of attention this story is getting compared to Our Little Secret. If you have any suggestions that you think would make this more interesting, let me know.

Big thanks to **Gyaradosmaster** for helping me write the duel. You're awesome dude!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh 5ds, I only own my own characters and plot.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: A Candle in the Dark<p>

"Jacob, we've been looking for hours. If we stay here any longer, we're going to attract some unwanted attention."

It was early in the morning, and Yasuo and Jacob's search for the Black Spirit had been a fruitless endeavor so far. After passing through countless alleyways and dozens of shady looking streets, there was still no sign of the mysterious duelist that had wreaked havoc on the Northside Projects. The few duel runners that did pass by paid them no attention, driving away without so much as a wave. And considering they weren't wearing masks and cloaks, it was a safe bet they weren't about to hospitalize any unsuspecting duelists.

The Black Spirit was a different person to anyone you asked. Residents of New Domino knew him as either a mysterious wanderer that couldn't stay out of trouble, or a deranged vigilante with no regard for the law and the well-being of others. The residents of the Southside Projects, however, would call him a hero and an avenger that gave the gangs of Northside an eye for an eye. Sector security denied his very existence and called him a myth engendered by the superstitious plebeians of the slums. The only thing everyone agreed on was that they wouldn't want to be caught dead in a duel with him.

Yasuo wasn't sure of what to believe. He had no knowledge of the Black Spirit's motives (nor was he sure if the Spirit even existed), but he was well aware of the damage such a man could do. Yasuo's guess was that this dangerous vigilante was a psychic duelist, like his mother and sister. He had seen his mother demonstrate her abilities in seminars and lectures, but never to their full extent. Akemi inherited similar powers, but they were not nearly as strong as Akiza's. The bright side of this was that the young girl had no trouble controlling them. But this Black Spirit apparently had no reservations about using his abilities for the worst.

But that didn't stop Jacob from wanting to challenge him. The blonde was hell bent on defeating the Project's most feared duelist in order to gain his sister's respect and to persuade her to give him an invitation to the Fortune Bowl. In truth, Yasuo had only gone along with Jacob's crazy plan to make sure his best friend didn't do anything too stupid. Jacob had wanted to scour Northside for the Black Spirit, but Yasuo had barely managed to convince him otherwise. The gangs up there were infamous for their brutality, and they would give no mercy to two kids wandering the streets at night.

Yasuo sighed and checked his watch. "Jacob, we've been out here for hours, let's go home," he said.

"No!" cried Jacob. "I'm not leaving until I find him!"

"It's almost three in the morning. If we don't get home soon, then our parents will know we snuck out!" Yasuo replied. This was starting to get ridiculous. He had gone along with Jacob, satisfied his childish impulse, and now it was time for him to swallow his crushed pride and call it a night.

Jacob growled. "Unlike you Yasuo, I have to earn my family's respect. And if this is the only way to do it, then that's fine by me. I guess I shouldn't expect you to understand."

Yasuo jumped in front of Jacob and grabbed the blonde's shirt. He had suffered through enough of this crap. "Look here," he hissed, pulling the boy closer. "I've risked getting into a lot of trouble for you, so don't even think about calling me a second rate friend. So your big sister didn't choose you for the Bowl, lick your wounds and get over it. Our time will come one day. And for the love of God, stop feeling sorry for yourself because your sister is enjoying her success."

He released his grip and stepped back, panting from his outburst. Jacob sighed and looked down, shaking his head. "I just..." he said. "I'm sick of my dad always fawning over Kitana. It's like she's the duelist he always wanted to raise, and I get pushed aside as an afterthought. Dammit, it happens every time!"

Jacob kicked at the gravel in anger. Yasuo knew that Jacob was always comparing himself to his sister and that his friend always felt inadequate because of the standard that had been set before him. He didn't know if Jack really favored Kitana, but it seemed more likely to be a fabrication of Jacob's massive inferiority complex.

Yasuo waved Jacob over, trying to reassure him. "C'mon. Let's get out of here before-"

They heard a squealing of tires before a speeding pair of headlights came rushing straight at them. Yasuo and Jacob froze in fear as the vehicle drew closer and closer, lightning fast and moving too quick to dodge. Yasuo closed his eyes, his legs locked in terror and waited for the impact.

It never came. There was another screech of rubber against pavement, and the duel runner skidded to a stop no more than five meters from the two boys. It was jet black with two sinister looking fins extending from each side, blacker than the night itself. The headlights looked eerily like eyes, making the runner even more fearsome.

But real and genuine fear tore through Yasuo's heart when he saw the rider. The man was dressed in a cloak as black as the runner, with dark leather gloves that concealed all parts of his skin. But the mask was what really inspired the terror. It had no space for the mouth, and the only markings on it were two blood red eye slits curved into a fearsome glare. The top of the mask ended with three sharp points, giving the rider the image of a demon when he was concealed by the darkness.

The Black Spirit.

He stared at the two boys with malicious intent, and Yasuo felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he couldn't even breathe in the presence of this supernatural being. The Black Spirit really existed...and now he was standing right in front of him. Yasuo prayed that by some miracle he and Jacob would escape from this unharmed. He felt a surge of hope when he saw the hooded figure give a short chuckle and turn his runner away.

"Hey you!" Jacob cried.

Yasuo flinched. So much for escape.

Jacob began advancing, but was stopped by Yasuo's firm grip on his arm. Still too afraid to utter a syllable, Yasuo was silently begging his best friend not to go, but Jacob was too hard headed to heed any further warnings. He shrugged off Yasuo's hand and took two strides towards the source of all fear.

"Duel me!" Jacob demanded, activating his duel disk and readying his deck. Yasuo shut his eyes and felt a sickening knot in his gut. He began to tremble with fear, and it was all he could do to not turn and run at that instant.

The Black Spirit chuckled again. "Get lost kid, before something bad happens to you," he breathed. His voice was icy and electronic, which made Yasuo even more uneasy.

But Jacob remained unphased. "What's the matter?" he taunted. "Scared?"

The Spirit turned his head towards Jacob, studying him for a moment. Yasuo saw his best friend's eyes widen, and he knew that Jacob could feel the demon eyes burning straight through him, into the tentative body of his soul. The man dismounted his runner with a frightening slowness, smoothly withdrawing his duel disk, also midnight black, from the runner's mainframe. He stood before Jacob and Yasuo and readied his deck.

Suddenly, the Black Spirit lashed out with some sort of metallic wire. It snaked through the air and connected to Jacob's duel disk with a resounding clang, trapping the boy in the Spirit's hold. Yasuo followed the wire to its other end and found it to be connected to the Black Spirit's disk. Jacob struggled to free himself of the snare, but the device wouldn't budge.

"What the hell is this?" he cried, fear crossing his cocky face for the first time.

If the demon had a face, he would have been wearing an evil smile. "A little device to make our battle more..._realistic_," he hissed.

Yasuo suddenly felt a very hollow sensation inside his chest. This was bad.

And it was about to get a lot worse.

* * *

><p>The phone rang, making a previously sleeping Kitana Atlas very unhappy.<p>

She groggily reached for her cell phone on the dresser, fumbling around for it in the dark. The drowsy teen was annoyed and irritated at being woken up from her much needed rest, and the caller was going to be sadly disappointed if they expected to receive good manners. Her hand finally found the ringing annoyance, and she flipped it open and held the receiver to her ear.

"Hello..." she muttered, still half asleep.

"Kitana! It's Yasuo!" the phone cried.

She held the receiver away from her head, the loud shouting hurting her ears. She checked the clock in her room, which made her even more indignant about being roused at such a time. "Yasuo...it's like three in the morning..." she whispered.

"I know, but..." he trailed off.

Kitana's eyebrows met in a glare. "You and Jacob snuck out again, didn't you," she said. It was not a question, it was a statement.

"Kinda," Yasuo said. "But we really need your help!"

Kitana rubbed her eyes, wiping away a little more of the sleepiness that crusted her vision. Those two boys were always getting into trouble and expecting her to bail them out, and frankly, she was getting tired of it. She shook her head and imagined Yasuo and Jacob running from an angry store manager, who's sneak peak had just been crashed by a couple of 14 year olds.

Kitana yawned. "Yasuo, I'm not in the mood...you and Jacob need to come home-"

Someone cried out in pain from the other end of the line.

Kitana jolted awake. That cry...it sounded like Jacob! A thousand fears grew inside Kitana's mind. Where had they gone, and what was happening to Jacob? With an immediate sense of urgency, she leapt up and quickly began to change into her street clothes.

"Yasuo, what's happening?" Kitana cried.

There was a deafening explosion from the other end, and then the sound of a struggle. "It's Jacob..." Yasuo whimpered, his voice poisoned with fear. "...he's dueling the Black Spirit..."

The line went dead.

Kitana's heart stopped, and she felt her stomach tie itself into a painful knot. The Black Spirit? But he wasn't even supposed to be real! She threw on her deep blue jacket, grabbed her duel runner keys and ran down the stairs to the garage. No time to wake up her parents, Jacob needed her now. Plus, if anyone laid a hand on her brother, she wanted to be the one who pulverized them into a thousand pieces.

When she reached the garage, she hastily opened the door and jumped on her runner, starting it and throwing on her helmet. She revved the engine and peeled out of the driveway, turning east at full speed. There was only one place they could be; the Projects.

Jacob...he must have gone looking for that infernal vigilante in hopes that he would gain some sort of favor by defeating him. A surge of guilt tore through Kitana's chest when she remembered how she had scorned him that afternoon, ignored his feelings and dismissed his disappointment as immaturity. She cursed herself for being so inconsiderate. She had been so wrapped up in her own success that she forgot the one person who inspired her the most. And now, she might not ever see him again. If the Black Spirit could hospitalize the gangsters of Northside, then a 14 year old boy wouldn't even stand a chance...

She shook her head, trying to keep herself from falling apart. Just the thought of her little brother getting hurt, or worse...it was too much to bear. She forced those thoughts out of her mind and focused on the road, shifting gears and pushing her vehicle to its limits. Faster, faster, faster, she had to get there before it was too late!

Dammit, damn it all! Why didn't she just take the time to talk to Jacob! Had she even thanked him for all of his support, for helping her with her deck lists, for cheering for her in every duel, for cheering her up when she was discouraged? Just a few minutes to tell him how much she loved him would have stopped this. But she had treated him with cold indifference, and he had reacted like any boy would. She didn't show him any compassion or respect, so he was trying to prove himself worthy of her attention.

She sped through the streets, entering the Projects and sweeping every alley and back road she could find. No sign of them. She stopped her runner and forced herself to breathe. Okay, think...just think...the duel has to be close by, and you have Jacob's duel disk ID number. Just trace it through your interface and track the signal until you find him.

With practiced precision, Kitana entered the codes into her duel runner's interface, starting the scan for nearby duels and cross referencing the disks with Jacob's. The process wasn't strictly legal, but Kitana didn't care. It was going to help her find her brother, that was all that mattered. The hardware whirred as it processed the data, working at hyperspeed to locate the signatures.

It beeped and two windows opened on the screen. The first contained two unknown disk signatures, not the one she was looking for. But the second contained one unknown and one match. Jacob.

She pressed a few more buttons and immediately began following her GPS towards the source of the signal. She cut through alleys, ran over lawns, broke traffic laws, all to cut off precious seconds until her arrival. 200 miles an hour never felt slower to Kitana as time slowed to a crawling pace, each moment an agonizing reminder that Jacob and Yasuo were out there, in danger, and she was the only one who could save them.

There was another explosion that came from just a block away. Kitana's heart pounded as she rounded the corner on her runner and met a giant wall of smoke. She dismounted and ran into the haze, not caring what dangers may lay in wait. All she cared about was Jacob and Yasuo, and she would rather have died than see something bad happen to them.

The smog cleared to reveal Jacob laying out on the ground with Yasuo kneeling over his sprawled out form. Kitana rushed over to the pair and slid to the other side of her brother.

"Jacob!" she cried, tears stinging her eyes. She cupped his face, barely hearing Yasuo's panicked words. Her finger found its way to his neck and pressed down on the vein there. Kitana breathed a sigh of relief upon finding a pulse. He would be okay...

She felt someone grab her by the shoulders and looked up to find Yasuo staring at her with fear in his eyes. His mouth was forming words that she could barely make out, and the two heard the crunching of gravel below boots in front of them. They turned their heads to see the terror of the Projects slowly approaching though the dusty haze.

The Black Spirit growled. "Next time, stay out of the Projects. You city dwellers don't belong here." His voice was sadistic and cold.

Kitana stood up, furious at the masked man. "Why did you hurt my brother!" she demanded.

He chuckled. "He asked for it. Maybe now he will choose his battles more wisely."

"That's no reason to injure him," Kitana bit back. Her hate for this phantom was increasing every minute, and it was all she could do to not charge at him. Her blood boiled as she observes this Spirit who preyed on the weak and the helpless, evoking fear in those who crossed his path. How dare he do this to her brother!

"He got what he wanted, a duel with me. And I don't go easy on my opponents," the Black Spirit hissed.

Kitana glared. "Then you'll have no problem defeating me," she said.

The Black Spirit let out a wicked laugh and readied his duel disk once again. "Fine, you want to fall before me as well? Bring it on!" he shouted. In once swift motion, Kitana detached her duel disk from her runner, readied her deck inside, and activated the interface, posing for a duel.

Yasuo found his voice. "No!" he cried. "Kitana, you can't! He'll hurt you!"

She shook her head. "No one hurts my brother and gets away with it," she said. "Yasuo, get Jacob out of here. Take him out of harm's way. I'll be fine." Yasuo hesitated for a moment before noddind, and he crouched down again, tending to Jacob, who was still out cold. He began dragging his friend out of the streets, trying to stay strong for Kitana. Kitana didn't care if she was injured by the Black Spirit, she was going to make this bastard pay for what he did. And once she won, she was going to unmask this Spirit once and for all. No more rumors of him lurking in the night. No, he had never dueled anyone of her caliber before, only slum trash not worthy to wield a single card in her deck.

A metallic clang sounded, and Kitana found her duel disk ensnared by a metal wire, which was also attached to the Black Spirit's duel disk. Her eyes widened as a spark of familiarity struck in her mind.

"There are the devices the Enforcers used in the Satellite's gang wars!" she cried.

The Spirit tilted his head in surprise. "That's correct," he said. "Although, I made a few of my own modifications. The more life points you lose, the more pain you feel. Electric shocks are quite commonly used in underground dueling, so think of this as a...portable version."

Kitana shuddered at his tone of voice. She had heard of underground dueling, where the life points were real, and the stakes higher than anywhere else. Down there you weren't dueling for glory or fortune, you were dueling for your actual life.

"Don't worry," the Spirit crooned. "I put it on a lower setting for you, the same one I used for your brother. It's a light tickle compared to other duels I've played."

Kitana growled. "Enough talk!" she shouted.

"Let's duel!"

**Kitana: 4000...Black Spirit: 4000**

"I draw!" cried Kitana.

She surveyed her hand, deciding on the best course of action. It was still a mystery what this guy was playing, so she needed to find out how his deck worked before being aggressive. She reached for a card.

"I activate Six Samurai United!"

The spell card materialized on the field. "Now, each time a Six Samurai is summoned, this card gets a Bushido counter!"

Kitana chose another card. "I summon Kagamusha of the Six Samurai!" (DEF: 1800)

The warrior sprang forward, shielding itself with its blade. A green orb of energy appeared on United, giving it one Bushido counter. "I set two cards face down and end my turn!" Kitana cried. She had made the first move, now it was time to see what this guy was made of.

"I draw!" the Black Spirit cried.

He surveyed his hand and gave a smug laugh. "I summon XX-Saber Boggart Knight!" he cried. The fearsome beast warrior appeared on the field, brandishing its blade. (ATK 1900) "I activate Boggart Knight's ability!" cried the Black Spirit. "When he's normal summoned, I can special summon one X-Saber from my hand. I summon X-Saber Airbellum!"

The second blade master beast appeared on the field, looking equally as fearsome with its razor sharp claws. (ATK 1600) "Now!" the Spirit cried, "Boggart Knight, attack Kagamusha!"

Kitana reached for a set card. "I activate negate attack!" Boggart Knight's attack was blocked, and the battle phase was ended. Kagamusha remained on the field, unharmed.

The Black Spirit growled. "I set two cards and end my turn," he said.

**Kitana: 4000...Black Spirit: 4000**

"I draw!" cried Kitana, and her face lit up when she recognized the card as one of the most powerful spells in her deck.

She surveyed her hand again. No one had taken damage yet, and she wasn't planning on being the first one to feel the burn of the device on their disks. She reached for another card. Time to get aggressive.

"I activate Gateway of the Six Samurai!" Kitana said. "Now, every time a Six Samurai is summoned, this card gets two Bushido counters!" She saw the Black Spirit shift uneasily. Good, she was slowly gaining the upper hand.

"I summon Legendary Six Samurai - Kageki!" (ATK 200) The warrior appeared on her field, and another Bushido counter glowed on United.

The Black Spirit laughed. "I activate Saber Hole!" he shouted. "Now, since I control an X-Saber, I can negate the summon of your monster and destroy it!"

Kitana smirked. "I chain Musakani Magatama!" she cried. "Now, since I control a Six Samurai, I can negate an effect that destroys a card on my field!" A bladed chain sprang forth from her card and enveloped Saber Hole, destroying it and landing Kageki safely on the field.

"Now," she said. "I activate Kageki's ability. When he's normal summoned, I can special summon another Six Samurai from my hand. Looks like I have a Boggart Knight too!" she cried. "I summon Legendary Six Samurai - Shinai!" (ATK 1600) The assassin faded in from the shadows, brandishing a deadly dagger. No Bushido counter appeared on United because it was maxed out.

"Now, I send Six Samurai United to the grave to draw cards equal to the number of Bushido counters on it!" Kitana cried. She drew two cards from her deck, and her smirk grew even wider. Once Gateway was on the field, it was only a matter of time before she won.

"I activate Gateway of the Six's effect! By removing four Bushido counters, I can add one Six Samurai from my deck or graveyard to my hand!" She searched her deck and selected a monster. "I choose Legendary Six Samurai - Kizan! And when I control a Six Samurai, I can special summon him!" The warrior sprang forth, brandishing its blade. (ATK 1800) "And, when Kizan is on the field with another Six Samurai, he gains 300 attack points!" (ATK 2100)

The Black spirit growled. Things were not looking good for him, and Kitana felt a surge of invigoration as she realized she had the most feared duelist of the Projects against the ropes. "Now!" she cried. "I tune my Kagamusha with my Kageki to synchro summon..." The synchro rings spit forth a blinding light, and a fearsome warrior emerged.

"Legendary Six Samurai - Shi En!" (ATK 2500) "Now everyone, attack his monsters and then attack him directly!" Her samurai lunged forward. Shi En sliced through Boggart Knight, obliterating it. Kizan impaled Airbellum, shattering it into fragments of holographic light. And then Shinai lunged forward and struck The Spirit directly, causing him to flinch upon contact.

**Kitana: 4000...Black Spirit: 1400**

Kitana felt a hum from the metallic wire attached to her duel disk, and her hair began to stand on end. She heard a cry of pain from the Black Spirit, who was writhing in agony as the device sent an electric current through his body. The electricity ran through his muscles, locking them up and causing the Spirit to fall to one knee from the damage. Even on a low setting, losing over half of your life points was devastating to endure.

He slowly up righted himself. "Agh...not bad..." he growled between breaths, his voice hoarse. "Been a while since...anyone's done...that to me..."

Kitana smirked. "There's more where that came from. I activate Gateway's effect to add Legendary Six Samurai - Mizuho from my deck to my hand! I end my turn," she said, surveying her hand.

There was no way she could lose now, she thought. Even if he did manage to defeat her monsters, Mizuho can destroy any card by tributing another Six Samurai on her field. And she could be special summoned when Shinai was on the field. All she had to do was play Mizuho and her victory was as certain as the sunrise. Confidence ran through her as her opponent reached for his deck.

"I draw!" he cried. She saw him study his cards for a moment before slowly fingering one.

"I activate Pot of Greed! Now I can draw two cards!" he said, taking them from the disk.

Kitana was taken aback, and she felt indignance at this absurdity. "You can't do that!" she cried. "Pot of Greed was banned from tournament play years ago!"

"Get over it, sweetheart," the Black Spirit hissed. "This isn't a tournament, so all cards are fair game."

Kitana growled. This guy wasn't even playing fair, and she was still beating him. She always had Shi En's ability, but she would save that for later. Fine, let him have his two cards, he was going to need a miracle to win this match.

"I summon XX-Saber Fullhelmknight!" the Black Spirit cried. (ATK 1300) "Now, I activate the spell card Saber Slash! This lets me destroy cards on your field equal to the number of X-Sabers on mine! Say goodbye to your Shi En!"

Kitana smirked. "I activate Shi En's ability! He can negate and destroy one spell or trap card per turn! Sorry, my monsters are not going anywhere!" Shi En shot forth a stream of light, and Saber Slash was destroyed. She felt another surge of confidence, thwarting yet another one of her opponent's strategies.

...and the Spirit laughed. "I know Shi En's ability. And that's why I waited to play this. I activate Gottem's Emergency Call!" he cried. "Now, since I control an X-Saber, I can summon 2 X-Saber monsters from my graveyard! Say hello to Boggart Knight and Airbellum again!" The beasts emerged from the grave, ready to fight. (ATK 1900) (ATK 1600)

The Black Spirit chuckled, and Kitana felt a cold sweat down the back of her neck. This was bad. "Now," the Spirit said. "Since I control at least 2 X-Sabers, I can special summon X-Saber Faultroll from my hand!" The giant emerged, its claymore at the ready. (ATK 2400) "Now, I tune my Fullhelmknight with my Boggart Knight to synchro summon..." The rings shone with a red light, and an even more fearsome warrior emerged.

"XX-Saber Uurubellum!" (ATK 2200)

"And I'm not done yet!" the Black Spirit cried. "I activate Faultroll's ability! He can special summon one level four or below X-Saber from my grave per turn! Come back, Fullhelmknight!" The warrior appeared on his field again.

"Now, I tune my Fullhelmknight with my Faultroll to synchro summon..." The monsters joined in the synchro rings, and the most fearsome monster yet to be summoned emerged.

"XX-Saber Gottems!" (ATK 3100)

Kitana felt her breathing speed up. This guy had synchro summoned twice in one turn! And now he had three monsters, all stronger than hers. "Now, attack her monsters!" The beasts lunged forth and sliced through the samurai, Gottems defeating Shi En, Airbellum destroying Shinai, and Uurubellum obliterating Kizan. Kitana flinched as her monsters were cut down, and she prepared herself for what would happen next.

**Kitana: 2900...Black Spirit: 1400**

She felt a jolt, which turned into a full out burning sure through her arms, across her chest, down to her legs and calves, contracting her muscles and causing her to cry out in agony. She could barely think straight as the pain brought her to her knees, and Kitana desperately prayed for relief. The spasms were shorted than the ones experiences by her opponent, but they were still just as painful and damaging. Her vision turned red as second after second crept by, each corroding her insides away and leaving a hollow, empty shell of desperation.

Slowly, the current subsided, and Kitana carefully stood, her world spinning as a vile sickness grew inside of her. She leaned over and vomited onto the streets, heaving up the contents of her stomach as a burning sensation reached her nostrils. After a moment, she recognized it as her own hair, fried by the device.

The Black Spirit was elated. "Welcome to my world," he said.

She would have bitten back some smart retort, but all she could focus on was trying to steady her breathing, which came in gasps. He could taunt her all he wanted. She had two cards in her hand and the match in the bag.

"Now, I activate XX-Saber Gottem's ability!" the Spirit said. "By tributing an X-Saber, you are forced to discard a random card from your hand. I tribute my Airbellum and my Uurubellum to leave you empty handed!"

Kitana watched in fear as the monsters were vaporized into the light, and she felt her cards wrenched from her hands and sent to the graveyard. No, no, no! Now she had no cards left to play, and she was facing a monster with 3100 attack points! A stain of hopelessness tainted her previous confidence, and she began to dread what the next current would feel like. Losing only 1100 life points had been one of the most painful experiences of her life. Losing the rest at once would be suffering beyond her imagination. And the Black Spirit had done it without so much as a moment of recovery.

"I set one card and end my turn," he said. Kitana closed her eyes and reached for the top card of her deck. This would decide her fate, and she prayed that it would be something, anything that would keep her in the match.

"I draw!" she cried.

She opened her eyes...

And smiled.

"I activate _Firestorm of Hope_!" she cried. "Now, by paying half my life points, I can special summon a fire attribute from my extra deck! I summon..." A giant wave of fire emerged from the ground, and Kitana raised her hand up in the air, her ace monster emerging from the flames. She saw the Black Spirit gaze in terrified wonder at the fiery beast, and it gave a mighty roar as it landed on the field.

"**_Soulfire Dragon_**!" (ATK 2600)

"I activate _Firestorm of Hope's_ second effect! I can increase the attack of the monster it's equipped to by 500 by sacrificing an equal amount of life points!" (ATK 3100) She watched as her life points were drained away to pay for both of Firestorm's effects, and she cringed in wait for the pain to return...

But it didn't come. She looked up at the Black Spirit in confusion, and he shook his head. "Paying life points isn't damage. You lucked out on this one," he said.

**Kitana: 950...Black Spirit: 1400**

She breathed a sigh of relief. No pain this time, but if she didn't close this duel fast, then there would be more agony than she could ever imagine. She pointed at the Black Spirit's hovering giant. "Soulfire Dragon, attack Gottems!" Her beast lunged forward, its burning claws at the ready. Both of their monsters would be destroyed, and then it would be a game of who could draw the best card first. Which was a game that Kitana was very, very good at.

But the Spirit reached for his field. "I activate _Shield of Destiny_!" he cried. "Now, your attack is negated, and we both draw one card!" Soulfire Dragon's attack was diverted, and Kitana and the Spirit took the top card from their decks.

Kitana growled. "I activate Soulfire Dragon's effect! If it a monster it battles isn't destroyed, I can remove one fire attribute from my grave to destroy your monster, and we both take damage equal to that monster's level times 100!" she cried.

The Black Spirit flinched as his monster was engulfed by flames, and he cried out in agony as his life points were burned away. Kitana collapsed too, the electricity tearing her muscles apart, the pain making her drift in and out of consciousness. She felt an unbearable burning in her arm, one that made her want to claw away the skin and tear away the offending flesh on her right arm. It hurt more than anything, oh God it hurt, please make it end!

She wanted to drop her duel disk and run, escape from this suffering, end this sadistic battle. But she wouldn't. She had never backed down before, and she wasn't starting now. Mustering up all the willpower she could find, Kitana quickly stood, finding that the Black Spirit had never left his feet. This guy was probably used to the pain after all the duels he experienced it in. She weakly reached for the last card in her hand. "I set one and end my turn."

**Kitana: 50...Black Spirit: 600**

The Spirit reached for the next card in his deck, but paused to study Kitana. His blood red slits observed her, and Kitana felt like this demon was staring straight into her soul.

His breathing was heavy. "I...I've never dueled anyone as good as you," he said in between labored inhales. He painfully rubbed his right arm as another spasm shook his frame, and Kitana suddenly felt a strange sense of knowing about the cloaked duelist. Who was he...

He reached for his deck. "I draw!"

He surveyed his hand and thrust a card on the field. "I activate the spell card _Mask of the Black Spirit_!" The spell card materialized, and Kitana felt fear trickle down her spine. Firestorm of Hope was her signature spell card, so this must be his.

The Black Spirit reached for his extra deck. "Now, I can summon one Dark attribute monster from by extra deck! I summon..." There was a thick darkness that fell, and a black mist emerged that concealed a sinister figure. Two red eyes pierced the blackness, and a dreadful beast emerged from the abyss. It hovered over the field, seeming to absorb all life and light with its arrival.

"**_Dark-Heart Dragon_**!" (ATK 2800)

"I activate Mask of the Black Spirit's second effect. The summoned monster gains 1000 attack points!" (ATK 3800) "However, during the end phase, I have to pay life points equal to Darkheart Dragon's original attack points. But out duel won't last that long, you'll be defeated before-"

There was a screeching of tires, and three pairs of headlights cut through the night. The two duelists turned and saw the runners approaching, and their eyes widened. Wait...Kitana squinted to get a better look at the runner on the far right. It looked familiar...white with a circled frame, streamline design...

It was the Wheel of Fortune!

Despite her exhaustion, Kitana let out a cry of joy as her father approached. The other two runners must be Akiza and Yusei! They had come to save them! Kitana felt something detach itself from her duel disk and found herself free of the device that caused her so much agony. It retracted back into the Black Spirit's sleeve, and the masked man deactivated his disk.

With a curse, the Spirit thrust it back into his runner and started the engine. He peeled out with a loud squeal, leaving a black tire mark behind as he sped off into the darkness, the duel monsters fading away as Kitana's duel disk shut off. She ran back over to Jacob, who was slowly regaining consciousness, and they waited as their parents got even closer.

Yasuo was breathing heavily, tears staining his cheeks. "T-Thanks Kitana...I..."

She wrapped him in a tight hug. "Yasuo, you idiot! I'm so glad you both are okay!" she cried. She heard the runners draw closer and stop, and Yasuo's eyes became cloudy with guilt.

"I'm s-sorry...Jacob said he was going and...I couldn't let him go alone..." he whimpered.

Kitana ruffled his hair. "It's alright, you did well. Everything's fine now," she said.

"On the contrary," a deep voice sounded. Yasuo and Kitana wheeled around to find a tall figure standing over them. They gulped at his tone.

"The three of you have some explaining to do," said Yusei Fudo.

* * *

><p>Like it? Be sure to review and let me know!<p>

Next chapter, punishment and reflections!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, me again!

First of all, thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed! I love all of you guys, you really make my day!

Second, I'm not going to be able to update for a week or two, due to the fact that I will be out of town. Really sorry about that guys, but I promise to work hard and update as soon as I get back!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh 5ds, only my own characters and plot.

* * *

><p>Chapter 4: What I've Been Looking For<p>

"So let me get this straight," said Yusei, who at the moment was absolutely livid. Kitana, Yasuo and Jacob sat on the couch of the Fudo family residence, their heads hung low in shame. Jack and Akiza stood beside Yusei, and they were just as angry that their children had snuck out. Akemi was asleep upstairs, the only one to have escaped the scathing wrath of the adults.

After Yusei, Akiza and Jack had arrived on their runners and chased off the Black Spirit, they had taken their children back home. Jacob had come out of his unconsciousness about the same time they arrived, much to the relief of his parents. But after making sure everyone was alright, the adults began to express just how angry they were at their children's dangerous adventure.

Yusei pointed at Jacob. "_You_ snuck out of the house to challenge the Black Spirit." Jacob nodded. "And _you_," he said, pointing at Yasuo. "You followed him because you didn't want to miss out."

Yasuo hesitated and nodded. Jacob raised a hand and spoke up. "Mr. Fudo, Yasuo didn't want to go. He only came to keep me safe, honest-"

"And why did you go in the first place?" Jack demanded, causing the boys to flinch in their seats.

"B-because..." Jacob hung his head, tears stinging his eyes. Yasuo and Kitana knew that he only wanted to prove himself, but they also knew that he could never tell his father that. Especially since one of the reasons Jacob had snuck out was to earn Jack's respect.

"Dad," Kitana said. "Please go easy on them. This whole thing is my fault."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Really now?" he said.

Kitana glanced over at Jacob and Yasuo, whose eyes clearly said that they didn't want her to take the fall for them. But she felt too guilty about what happened to let Yusei and Jack put all the blame on their shoulders. She took a deep breath. "I was really hurtful towards Jacob today. I told him that he wasn't cut out to duel on my level, and all he was trying to do was gain my acceptance. This never would have happened if I wasn't so distant from how he was feeling. I'm sorry dad," she finished.

Jack shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day where you three would all be willing to take the fall for each other."

"Reminds me of some kids I knew," Yusei said, shooting knowing glances at Jack and Akiza.

Akiza was just happy that everyone was alright. She was less willing to discipline the children right now, considering what they had just been though, but she knew that they had to learn some things the hard way. She smiled. "You three," she said. "Are too much like us for your own good."

Yasuo looked up at his mother. "So...does that mean you're not mad?"

"Mad? I'm absolutely furious," Akiza said, her voice soft and gentle. "But I'm happy that you're alright, all of you." She gave Yasuo a kiss on the head, which the boy accepted without complaint. Probably best not to agitate the parental figures any more than necessary.

Jacob suddenly winced and grabbed his temples, and he laid back on the couch while a concerned Jack rushed over and knelt beside him. Jack guided his son's head back against the cushion, asking Kitana to get her brother a glass of water. She came back and handed it to Jacob, who sipped it slowly. "Just take it easy son," Jack said, his parental instincts kicking in. "You're still weak from the duel."

Akiza shook her head. "I'm just glad a headache is all the damage that was done. Psychic duelists can be devastating to face."

"He wasn't psychic," Yasuo said. The adults looked at him in confusion. Up until this point, it was assumed that the Black Spirit had caused so many crashed and injuries because of some supernatural abilities, but Yasuo had seen differently. "He didn't use any powers," the boy elaborated. "He used some sort of device that shocks you whenever you lose life points, his powers were fake."

"They looked pretty real to me," Jacob groaned, still shell-shocked.

"Yasuo's right," Kitana said, affirming his conclusion. "It was a metal wire that latched onto our duels disks. It looked really similar to the ones you guys used back in the Satellite."

Yusei cocked his head. "How do you guys know about the Enforcers?" he asked.

Yasuo smiled. "Uncle Crow always tells us some good stories when he's in town."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Yusei replied. "So after both of you got caught with your pants down, you called Kitana for help?" The boys nodded, Jacob now with an ice pack on his head. "And she dueled the Black Spirit until we arrived?"

"And I would have won too," Kitana muttered.

Yusei studied her for a moment before shaking his head. "Just like your parents, the whole lot of you."

The three adults smiled and laughed, the tension of the night finally beginning to ease up. Their children were safe, and that was the only thing that mattered. Although, it would have been nice to have a shot at that Black Spirit.

Akiza stood up. "Well, I don't want Jacob to move any more than necessary, and all of them are over here anyways. Why don't you all just stay the night, or at least what's left of the morning," she said.

Jack and Yusei nodded, knowing that some time together would help smooth things over and give everyone a chance to cool down. "Wait," Yasuo said. "So we're not grounded?"

"Oh, you're grounded," Akiza said. "But for now, just rest. You all have had a long night."

Yasuo and Jacob groaned. Not the best way to start their two week break, but at least both of them could still walk, unlike some of the Black Spirit's victims. There were few instances where the boys didn't mind being grounded too much, but this was one of them.

"What about Kitana?" Jacob asked. "She didn't do anything wrong." Kitana gave Jacob a grateful stare, happy to know that she and her brother were on good terms again. She didn't care if she was punished. If Yasuo and Jacob were alright, she was happy.

Jack sighed. "I'll think of something," he said. "You kids just go get some sleep." Even after seventeen years, Jack still sometimes felt like he wasn't cut out for parenting. Carly, on the other hand, was the perfect example of motherhood, and Jack loved her all the more for it. Unfortunately, Carly was out of the house at the moment, having received an emergency call from work. Jack had yet to call her about the children's escapade, but he knew that she would not be happy at all.

After hugging their parents goodnight, the children went upstairs to get some much needed rest. Yasuo and Kitana supported Jacob up the steps, the blonde still having trouble with balance. Kitana shuddered as she remembered that the Black Spirit's device wasn't even at full power. If it had been, Jacob might be in a coma at the emergency room instead of at their friend's house with a headache.

They went into Yasuo's room, trying to be quiet as not to wake Akemi, and Jacob immediately began drifting off to sleep on Yasuo's pillow. The raven haired boy let his friend take the bed, knowing that he had been through a lot of pain. Kitana stroked his hair, a sad look in her eyes.

"It's not your fault, you know," Yasuo said.

Kitana nodded. "I know...still, I shouldn't have blown him off like that." She giggled, looking around the room. "Sorry he took your bed."

Yasuo shrugged. "It's okay. He needs it, and I don't think I could sleep anyways."

"Yeah, me neither," Kitana agreed.

They stayed up, sitting silence while Jacob's even breathing filled the air. Kitana was relieved to have everyone back in safety. She remembered how worried she was as she sped through the streets, and she was thankful that her fears had not been realized. She stood up and took out her deck, shuffling it repeatedly. It was a habit she had gotten in when she drifted off in daydreams or was deep in thought.

Yasuo noticed. "Still thinking about the duel?"

Kitana nodded. "I keep replaying it in my head," she said. "He was the best person I've ever faced. Well, other than our parents. His strategies were so ferocious, so unrelenting."

"Just like yours?" Yasuo said. Kitana hesitated before giving a curt nod. "You two were really going at it. I would have liked to see the end of that duel, it would have been awesome to find out who won!"

Kitana smiled. "Well, I had it won. A few more seconds and the Black Spirit would have gotten a taste of his own medicine."

"Oh really?" Yasuo asked with smirk on his face. "The way it looked to me, that ghoul had you up against the ropes."

Kitana smoothly pulled out a card from her deck and tossed it to Yasuo, who caught it and slowly examined the card. He recognized it immediately, having been beaten by it several times.

"_Blue Blooded_," Yasuo said. He could recite the card text without even looking at it. "Normal trap card. This card can only be activated in response to your opponent's attack. Remove one level four or below warrior-type monster from your graveyard, and negate the attack. During your next standby phase, special summon the removed monster in face-up defense position."

He handed her the card back. "So...he attacks, you activate this, and then during the end phase, his _Mask of the Black Spirit_ destroys _Darkheart Dragon_ and deals him 2800 points of damage."

"That's right," Kitana said. "He had no set cards, so there was no way he could have saved himself."

Yasuo whistled. "Kitana Atlas defeats the Black Spirit. I can see the headlines now."

They both laughed at his joke, but something lingered in the back of Kitana's mind. She did just defeat the Black Spirit, didn't she? The most fearsome duelist in the entire city had just lost to her, a girl from Duel Academy that wasn't even eighteen yet. Kitana smiled at the thought, and an idea began to hatch itself. It was foolish and reckless, but it was just too perfect to pass up.

Yasuo and Jacob were going to kill her for this. And if they didn't then her parents would, assuming they found out what she was up to. Kitana stood up from the bed and walked over to the window, her cards falling into each other as she shuffled them, the girl once again deep in thought. It was crazy, and far more irresponsible than anything she would ever do, but there was no other option in her mind.

Kitana sighed. "Yasuo?"

"Hmm?" the boy mumbled. His eyelids were heavy, and the boy was beginning to wind down from the excitement.

"What kind of turbo driver was he using?" she asked.

"Who, the Black Spirit?" Yasuo asked, to which Kitana nodded. "Umm...I'm not really sure. Why?"

"Because," Kitana said. "It looked like one of those ZFX models, the ones that just came out last month."

"No way," Yasuo said. "Those things cost a fortune, and if we weren't able to get one, how could some guy from the Projects manage it?"

"Exactly my point," Kitana said. Yasuo looked at her with a confused expression before his eyes widened in realization. That type of turbo driver was extremely rare, so rare in fact, that no more than a few dozen people in New Domino City would have access to them. And that meant that the Black Spirit was probably the only guy in the Projects who had one installed. All it would take to find him was tracking down that part.

Yasuo shook his head. "No way in hell, Kitana!" he exclaimed.

Kitana winced. She knew he wouldn't like this, but her mind was made up. "I'm going to do this, Yasuo. I'm going to find out who the Black Spirit is..."

"...and I'm going to challenge him in the Fortune Bowl."

* * *

><p>Ryuu woke up in his room, light streaming through his window. He muttered a curse as he realized he slept late yet again.<p>

After rising and dressing, he went downstairs to find Kaiser drinking his morning coffee. The old man had probably woken up late too, considering the episode he had last night. Ryuu absent mindedly took out the bread and popped four pieces in the toaster, one of the few cooking utilities they owned. He shook his head, which was still ringing from the duel, as Kaiser regarded him with silent disapproval.

"Your little midnight ventures are going to get you killed," Kaiser said, taking a hearty gulp.

Ryuu sighed. "Probably, but someone has to keep the Northside gangs in check," he simply replied. Kaiser turned his attention away from his black beverage. Usually, Ryuu was very defensive about his after dark dueling, but a deflated and defeated attitude meant something had happened out of the norm.

"Uh-oh," Kaiser said, putting down his coffee mug. "What happened this time?"

Ryuu shook his head. It was stupid that he was so bothered by it, but he simply couldn't get last night out of his head. It wasn't because he had been seen by multiple witnesses, he wasn't worried about detection. He had made sure to make himself untraceable before wearing that mask. But having someone, a city dweller, give him such a fight was too much for him to ignore.

"There was this girl," Ryuu said.

"Was she pretty?" Kaiser asked.

Ryuu sighed. "You're hopeless."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow. "She kick your ass?"

"_No_," Ryuu growled. "She just...I've never seen anyone as good as her, besides you of course. We didn't get to finish our duel, I had to run before I could win."

"You sure you would have won?" Kaiser said. "She could have had a trick up her sleeve."

Ryuu shook his head. "She had 50 life points and one face down, and I had _Darkheart Dragon_ on the field and a card in my hand. All I had to do was attack."

Kaiser shrugged. "If you say so."

The teen growled. He hated it when Kaiser patronized him like that, but sometimes it was necessary for the older man to deflate the boy's ego. After all, becoming so feared and respected in the Projects was bound to give anyone a false sense of pride.

Kaiser and Ryuu never talked about what occurred after dark at great extent, but when they did, it almost always led to an argument. Kaiser thought the whole spectral ordeal was foolish and served no purpose, but he never forbade Ryuu from riding as the Black Spirit. Ryuu wouldn't stop for anything, and Kaiser knew that that mask had just as powerful a hold on the boy as the Cyberdarks had on him.

Ryuu pulled the toast and set it on the table, tapping Kaiser's coffee mug on his way by. "Drink up," he said. "I put some depressants into your coffee mix, they should kick in around noon. Just try to keep your heart rate down for tonight."

Kaiser glared at his coffee mug. "You dosed me?" he cried in disbelief. Kaiser hated taking medication, and Ryuu had to practically force-feed him any prescriptions they managed to scrape up. He leered at the boy. "And what, may I cordially ask, is happening tonight?"

"What we've been waiting for," Ryuu said. "I finally found the capacitor we need. I'm going to program it today, it should be ready to install tonight."

Kaiser growled in disapproval. "If by 'install' you mean 'stick into my chest and see what happens', then forget it."

"Look," Ryuu said, sitting down at the table. He had to make Kaiser understand, had to make him see that they had to act now. And if it required a proverbial slap across the face, then so be it. "Your episodes are getting worse. That one last night almost stopped your heart for good, not even Zane carried the Cyberdarks for as long as you have. If we wait any longer, you might die before I can be 100 percent sure about the pacemaker."

Ryuu looked Kaiser dead in the eye. "This might be our last shot. Your father didn't leave you that deck because he wanted you to suffer, Zane wanted you to beat it. I have spent four years of my life building the pacemaker for you, and I'm not letting my hard work go to waste because of your stubbornness. So pretty please, with a cherry on top, drink the goddamn coffee."

Kaiser continued to glare back at Ryuu. He slowly lifted the mug to his mouth and took another sip, much to Ryuu's relief. "Fine," the old man spat. "I'll take the stupid drugs. But don't expect me to let you wire my heart up again after tonight."

"Duly noted," Ryuu said. He wolfed down his toast and grabbed his jacket. "I'm going into the garage. Lay down once you feel the medicine kick in, I need your heart rate to be stable."

Kaiser gave an annoyed wave, and Ryuu started up his runner. He had hoped to have the pacemaker ready last night, but the new capacitor just wasn't cooperating. Now, he was going to have to install it in Kaiser's chest without testing the flux. It was a dangerous task for both of them, but every hour they waited was one step closer to cardiac arrest for Kaiser. And Ryuu wasn't going to watch his guardian die because they were too scared to act.

He revved his engine and rode towards the garage, praying that Kaiser would be safe by tomorrow morning.

* * *

><p>"Mom, Dad, I'm going out," Yasuo said, his backpack in hand.<p>

Yusei raised an eyebrow at his son. "Last I checked, you were grounded." The man was washing dishes, a chore he had taken up to relieve Akiza of her duties. She had just gotten back from a big psychic convention last week, and he wanted his wife to relax.

"Well," Yasuo said. "I know, but Kitana needs help with this, ah...research she's doing, and she asked me to come to the library with her."

Yasuo cringed inside as he lied. Well, it wasn't really a lie, he and Kitana were actually doing research. But it wasn't at the library, and the subject matter of said research was far from acceptable. Yasuo hated lying to his parents, but if they knew that he and Kitana were searching for the Black Spirit, they wouldn't let him see the light of day until the break was over.

Normally, Yasuo was extremely truthful with Yusei and Akiza. But this instance was one where he felt his deception was justified. Jacob was still recovering from his duel last night, which made his best friend extremely angry that someone had caused such harm. Yasuo wanted to find the Black Spirit so they could unmask him for good, and so he could never hurt anyone like Jacob again.

"What kind of research?" Akiza asked as she walked down the stairs. "Oh Yusei, you don't have to do that-"

"It's fine, really," Yusei said. "Just sit down and relax, I'll be done with these in a minute."

Yasuo wringed his hands out and grew very nervous. "It's, ah...some sort of...erm, dueling research..."

Yusei laughed. "Well, I know that son, but what _kind_ of dueling research?" he said, giving Yasuo a knowing glance.

Yasuo froze. He knew that look anywhere. Anytime Yusei gave him that stare, it meant that he was on to whatever mischief was being cooked up. Sometimes Yusei let them have their fun, letting the kids have freedom similar to what he had in the Satellite. Sometimes he put a stop to it if he felt it was too dangerous, which seemed like the proper course of action in this situation.

Yasuo shuffled his feet. Maybe he could still talk his way out of this. "Well...I, um...wanted to...check out this one duelist..."

Yusei's smirk widened. "You don't have to pretend anymore son," he said.

Yasuo cringed.

Akiza smiled as well. "Sweetie, if you want to do some research on Kitana's deck before the Fortune Bowl, it's alright with us."

"ALRIGHT, I'M SORRY, WE-"

Yasuo froze. "W-wait, wha-"

Yusei patted his son's shoulder. "Yasuo, dueling is your passion. You're a hard worker, and it's never a bad thing to be prepared. Your mother and I are just happy to see you taking the Fortune Bowl seriously."

Akiza got up and wrapped a still confused Yasuo in a big hug. "We're so proud of you, my little warrior. I know you'll do great."

"Hehe, yeah...I guess I will..." Yasuo muttered. He felt another sharp stab of guilt as his parents assumed the best of him when he was about to be at his worst. And it would be even harder to explain that Kitana hadn't chosen him to compete in the Fortune Bowl. Yasuo hoped that he didn't have to lie much longer, it was doing a number on his conscience.

Yusei ruffled his hair. "Love you son. Have fun and work hard," he said.

Akiza kissed him on the cheek. "Love you, Yasuo."

"Love you Dad, love you mom."

Yasuo hurried out of the house and towards the bus stop, leaving Yusei and Akiza alone in the house. Akemi was over Jack and Carly's helping attend to Jacob's ongoing headache (much to her delight). Akiza walked over to the sink and began scrubbing a plate.

"Sometimes, I wonder how I ended up so blessed," she said.

Akiza flashed back to all of the hard times that brought her to the life she led. The suffering she went through as the Black Rose Witch. Sayer manipulating her in the Arcadia Movement. The Dark Signer War. The WRPG and Illiaster. Losing Yukai. It was difficult, sometimes nearly impossible to overcome everything that had been thrown at her, but with Yusei by her side, they had stayed strong. They had run the race, kept their faith in each other, and they were happier now than ever before.

She felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind, and Yusei's hot breath reached her ear. "You know I love you, right my beautiful rose?" he whispered.

Akiza smiled. "More than anything, my perfect morning star."

Yusei spun Akiza around and kissed her full on the lips. She melted into his embrace, and their lips moved fervently against each other. Even after eighteen years of marriage, they still had the same fiery passion that they experienced when they first became a couple. Their love had not faded over time, it had grown infinitely stronger, and the bond they shared now, in love and in matrimony, was more permanent than any mark laid in Crimson writ.

"You know," Yusei said when they parted. "The kids are out of the house..."

Akiza gave him a sly smile. "Oh really?" she teased. "What exactly did you have in mind, handsome?" Akiza still loved to tease Yusei, it never failed to turn him on. She gave a surprised squeak as Yusei picked her up bridal style and began carrying her up the stairs.

"I'm sure we can think of something..."

* * *

><p>Hehe, bit of a pervy ending there for all the Faithshippers like myself. Please review! It makes me really happy when you guys review!<p>

Next chapter, will Kaiser's pacemaker work? And will Kitana and Yasuo fin the Black Spirit?


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys, me again!

Another big thanks to my reviewers! Again, sorry for the delay. Mexico was a blast though!

Ryuu: I bet. You didn't even take me, jerk.

Oh, come on! You're a figment of my imagination! Tell you what, if you can get me a good number of reviews this chapter, I'll take you to the beach on Wednesday.

Kitana: And me too?

'Sigh' Okay, you too.

I forgot to make note of this, but _Cards in Italics_ are ones that I made up. And also, if you didn't watch Yugioh GX, you should probably go and Google a brief synopsis of Zane Trusdale/the Cyberdarks before you read anymore.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh 5ds, only my own characters and plot.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: Moments of Truth<p>

"So let me get this straight," Yasuo said. "We are looking for a single part, which _might_ lead us to an order form with the ZFX driver, which _possibly_ could take us to an address in the Projects, which is _maybe_ still occupied by someone who _may or may not know_ where the Black Spirit is?"

"Pretty much," Kitana replied.

Yasuo sighed and leaned back in his seat. The two were currently sitting in the record room of the local ZFX retailer, sorting through the endless order forms in search of the particular part they had seen on the Black Spirit's runner. Kitana knew the company retailer very well, considering that he had ordered most of her duel runner parts and equipment. The girl had sent more than a few customers his way, and the grateful salesman was more than happy to let her take a look at his records.

Of course, said salesman thought that the purpose of the searching was to conduct a study of turbo driver brands being used in New Domino City ten years ago versus the present. Strictly speaking, allowing two teenagers access to sensitive billing information was not completely legal, and it would be a felony if Yasuo and Kitana were caught breaching privacy rights.

Still, the teens were willing to take the risk. They trusted their friend to keep their snooping a secret, and they doubted that security would care about the privacy rights of anyone in the Projects. And Trudge could bail them out if they did get into trouble, considering he still owed Yasuo a favor for helping him cram for the dueling certification exam now required of all officers.

Yasuo opened a box loaded full of files, letting out a frustrated groan. "Seriously, you would think this information would be in some sort of computer terminal."

Kitana shrugged. "Computers can be hacked. Besides, there's no substitute for having the information written down on paper."

The boy shook his head and began looking through the first file of many. "So remind me of what we're looking for again?"

"Anything unusual," Kitana said. "Expensive orders paid in cash, billing addresses inside the Projects and on its fringes, that kind of stuff."

"There's like a million folders in here!" Yasuo cried. "Why can't we just wait until night and go walking though the Projects? It worked last time."

"Because he would still have his mask on," Kitana replied. "And what's to keep him from running or catching us off guard again? I want to find out who he really is, face him without his mask and his torture devices."

Yasuo shrugged. "Fine, your call. But it's going to be near impossible to find anything in here."

It was a long shot, but Kitana was confident that she and Yasuo could find the file they were looking for by searching for orders that were out of the norm. The only way she could think of for the Black Spirit to gain access to the parts he needed was for someone he knew with connections in the city to order the parts and have them shipped to an address that could be accessed from the Projects.

It was smart, and it wouldn't require the Black Spirit to divulge his true identity, but ordering parts from a retailer required a valid social security number. And that meant that the phantom of the Projects had an accomplice, one that could be traced. Find their file, verify that it held an order for the ZFX model, then trace it back to the billing address. The only thing Kitana couldn't figure out was how this accomplice had bought such large amounts of high end parts using an address in the Projects and not come under suspicion.

Kitana opened a file and began looking through it. She would know soon enough.

* * *

><p>Ryuu swore as he yet again failed to rewire the capacitor for the fifth time that afternoon. He was almost there, almost had the device working properly. If he could just get this damn rewiring done, then he would be ready to assemble the pacemaker. Tonight was the big moment he had been working towards for four years, and he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way.<p>

He wiped the sweat from his brow and readied himself for another try. Okay, reset the calibration, activate primary current...good, now reroute flow to the secondary cell...now activate the secondary current, keep the currents separate in their pathways...reset the core to manual input...reroute power to the-

A painful surge of electricity shot through Ryuu's arm. He pulled his hand back, cursing the infernal device that was giving him so much trouble. He just couldn't keep the currents stable while he reprogrammed the core, and he received a sharp jolt with each failed attempt. He shook his head, damning the hunk of metal that had been the source of his frustration all day.

Patrick walked over, noticing Ryuu's bad mood. "Rough time?"

"You have no idea," Ryuu growled.

Patrick sat down at the table, observing Ryuu as the boy tried once again to achieve the proper setting for the capacitor. A minute passed without incident before Ryuu yanked his hand back and yelped.

"Dammit, I hate this freaking thing!" he cried. He let his head hit the table, discouraged and defeated. He was so close, so near to his goal, and now he was about to lose to a pathetic little capacitor.

Patrick picked up the device and examined it. "You know, as long as I've known you, you've always been trying to save Kaiser," he said.

Ryuu nodded. "He's the closest thing to a father I have. He took me in when no one else would, taught me how to survive. I owe him my life."

"He's like a father to us all," Patrick replied. "Taught us how to duel. I wouldn't be half as happy as I am without dueling, neither would John."

"Yeah," Ryuu agreed. "I just...I thought I would have cured him so long ago. I mean, this thing I'm making isn't even as complicated as a real pacemaker. It's just never been done before."

Patrick leaned back in his seat. "You never doubt yourself...what's wrong?"

Ryuu sighed. "Kaiser...had another episode last night. It was bad...he might not have survived if I didn't get there in time. And now I can't even get this stupid thing to work," he spat, gesturing to the capacitor in Patrick's hands.

Patrick set the device down and stood up. "How many times did you think you wouldn't make it in the past? A lot, that's the answer. And how many times did you come out on top? Every time. You've come this far, and your work is going to pay off," the twin said.

Ryuu gave his friend a thankful smile, and the black haired teen gestured to the capacitor. "I'll see if I can find some more precise couplings," Patrick said. "It'll make things easier."

Patrick walked off, leaving Ryuu alone with his hope rekindled. The boy didn't have many possessions, but he considered himself to be the richest man in the world when it came to friends. He turned his attention back to his task and began the rewiring again. He had been knocked down a thousand times. And he would get up one thousand and one times with more fire and more fight than before.

That was the way he had always lived, that was the way he always rode. And he wasn't stopping for anything.

He bit back another curse as he received another shock. Tenacity was important, but it would be helpful if Patrick hurried up with those couplings...

* * *

><p>Kitana yawned. It had been a long day, and their efforts had been fruitless so far. File after file came and went, each as uninteresting as the last. Even when they did come across one that was unusual, it was usually a dueling team trying to conceal their hardware from snooping competitors. And even if a file seemed to fit the description they were looking for, it turned up empty of ZFX turbo drivers.<p>

She tossed aside another useless folder and opened another. They had been at this for hours, worked long into the evening, and there was not even a single customer who could possibly be the Black Spirit's accomplice. This was beginning to seem like a foolish endeavor, and Kitana was getting ready to abandon the venture altogether. Perhaps they weren't meant to find the Black Spirit...

"Hey Kitana," Yasuo said, his voice listless and exhausted. "Here's another one that looks weird. I'll look up the account."

Kitana grunted, too tired to give a satisfactory reply. She didn't even get excited about unusual files anymore, each one just brought another surge of disappointment and discouragement. Yasuo typed away on the computer, which fortunately did contain the accounts of any customers. Apparently, all retailers had to have some level of technological sophistication to stay in business. Her eyes lids drooped as she laid her head back in the chair. Maybe it would feel good to close her eyes for a bit...

"Kitana, look!" Yasuo cried.

She jolted awake. "What is it?" Kitana asked, leaning in to see the computer screen.

Yasuo pointed to the account. "Right here! This guy, Kaiser Trusdale, started ordering a bunch of duel runner parts four years ago. He paid in cash every time, and the billing address on file is in the Projects. The orders aren't too expensive at first, but they get more pricey as time goes on. Wanna guess what the last item purchased was?"

Kitana's eyes widened in excitement. "A ZFX turbo driver?"

"Bingo," Yasuo said. "Shipped two days before the model hit the market. This guy must know some pretty important people."

The two teens became invigorated as they realized that this might be what they had been looking for. If this Kaiser was the accomplice of the Black Spirit, then he could lead them straight to the phantom.

"Wait," Kitana said. "How come these orders weren't red flagged if they were going to the Projects?"

Yasuo smirked. "I was wondering the same thing a while ago, but I just found the answer." He hit a few keys, and another page of the account was opened. "Kaiser Trusdale's account was labeled as an intermediary supplier, meaning that he was purchasing the parts to be used by another duelist. Lots of sponsors use this same system, it would be easy to miss if you weren't looking for it."

"That's...brilliant," Kitana said. "Does the account list a recipient?"

Yasuo spun in his chair and hit a few more keys. If it did list a name, then it could very well be the Black Spirit himself. The boy gave a dry laugh as the page came up on the screen. "Only one recipient on the account, William Smith."

"Ten bucks and my best card says that's an alias," Kitana said.

"Definitely," Yasuo agreed. "It doesn't list a billing address for Mr. Smith though. No address or phone number either, just a name."

"Doesn't matter," Kitana said. "We know where the Black Spirit is getting his parts from. I think I'll pay a visit to Kaiser Trusdale tomorrow."

Yasuo smirked. "Yeah, let's see how the Black Spirit likes it when we get the drop on him!"

Kitana held up her hands. "I meant me, and me alone Yasuo. You're still grounded, and I don't want you to get in more trouble."

"But Kitana!" Yasuo cried. "We're in this together!"

"I know, and I couldn't have done it without you," Kitana said. "But use your head Yasuo. Do you really want to keep lying to your parents?"

The boy hung his head. "No..." he muttered.

Kitana sighed and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She could tell that Yasuo really wanted to go, wanted to be by her side if they did find the Black Spirit. But she knew that Yusei and Akiza would be mad beyond belief if that did happen, even if Yasuo was acting with the best intentions.

"Look," Kitana said. "If things work out, then you'll get to see me duel him in the Fortune Bowl. I promise, I'll be careful and I won't do anything dangerous, okay?"

Yasuo reluctantly nodded, still hesitant to let his friend go looking for the most dangerous duelist in the city alone. "Okay...but if you do get into a jam, I'll steal a runner and drive illegally before I let anything bad happen to you."

"Knowing you, I wouldn't doubt it," Kitana said. Yasuo was as faithful a friend as Yusei, and she could always count on him to have her back.

Kitana picked up the file again and gazed back at the photo. It was an old man with graying hair, streaks of blue still visible through the discoloring.

_'Kaiser Trusdale...get ready, because I'm going to find the Black Spirit. And you're going to help me do it.'_

* * *

><p>"You ready?" Ryuu asked.<p>

Kaiser laid on a table in the garage, his arms and legs strapped to the metal frame. He wore no shirt, and his torso looked like something straight from a science fiction movie. A metallic circle was lodged into his chest, the center oozing with a mixture of fresh saline solution and blood. There were four small holes around the circle at regular intervals, the skin surrounding it still slightly burned from the last failed attempt.

"Let's just get this over with," Kaiser groaned. He was heavily sedated, and staying conscious was an effort. This was the third time he had allowed Ryuu to stick wires into his chest and through his heart, and he didn't know if he could take much more of it. But he laid back, letting the depressants calm his heart rate and keep him in a twilight state.

Ryuu nodded and picked up a pair of couplings from the table. He was no doctor, nor was he skilled in human anatomy, but he had studied medical books to no end in order to learn the heart inside and out. He had no clue how a regular pacemaker worked, but he was well aware of how his own invention could extend and improve Kaiser's quality of life.

The Cyberdarks were a powerful deck, one that could actually cause real damage to be dealt to an opponent. However, they took a heavy toll on their user. Ryuu and Kaiser had discovered that the Cyberdark's power came from a dark energy that the cards constantly emitted, enveloping anything nearby. In a duel, this energy increased dramatically in strength and frequency.

But that same energy could become detrimental to human tissue. Any duelist who used the Cyberdark deck for a prolonged period of time would suffer internal ailments, which could develop into fatal conditions. For some reason unknown, the dark energy chose to gather in the heart of its wielder. Kaiser had been carrying the deck for years, and his condition was miserable. Even touching the deck could send him into fits of arrhythmic pulses. If he attempted to duel with it, he would probably go into tachycardia right then and there.

Sweat dropped from Ryuu's brow as he began to thread the coupling through the metallic path installed in Kaiser's chest. He had to be careful, Kaiser was much more fragile than the last time he had attempted to install the pacemaker. He carefully worked it round the hole that circled the right pulmonary artery, dipped around to the aorta and back out again through the metallic pathway. One coupling down, four to go, no signs of his body rejecting the implant yet.

The pacemaker was a device specifically designed to intercept the dark energy emitted by the Cyberdarks, process it through the installed capacitor, and then use that energy to create a weak electromagnetic shield around Kaiser's heart, which would further deter any more unwanted energy from entering his body. Ryuu barely knew the first thing about surgery, but luckily the procedure was medically straightforward. He had made a few modifications to the capacitor to make the procedure even more simple. Mechanics was one area where Ryuu was not lacking.

His fingers worked with the second wire, threading it through the next pathway. His focus was unbreakable, his motions controlled and calculated. He had practiced countless hours for this one moment, and he wouldn't let his only chance to save Kaiser slip away. He ground his teeth as some plasma from Kaiser's chest oozed out with the coupling he threaded through. Kaiser's heart was already beginning to fight the foreign intrusion, but the sedatives would keep it calm for the moment.

The next two couplings went about as smoothly as the first two, but Kaiser gave a sharp jerk as Ryuu fed the last one through. The painkillers did little for nerves that deep, and Ryuu momentarily felt a strong detest for the rich bastards in New Domino who could afford such medications to completely relieve suffering. With the couplings finished, Ryuu began to attach them to the capacitor that would power the system. The circuit would be stable this time, he had done the math again and again until he was sure it would work.

Suddenly, Kaiser began to convulse on the table, and the metallic circle in his chest began oozing with dark red blood. Ryuu's eyes widened as he recognized the motions as cardiac arrest.

He had to think fast. It would take too much time for him to undo the couplings, and even if he did, there was no guarantee that it would stop the episode. The Cyberdarks were locked away, so Kaiser was already distanced from them. There was only one way he could save Kaiser; he had to finish installing the pacemaker before Kaiser's heart stopped beating.

He quickly moved onto the second coupling, attaching it to the capacitor and synching the frequencies. Beads of sweat ran down his face as Kaiser's arms trembled and his legs shook, the restraints holding his body in place. The second pathway whirred to life without a problem, but it did nothing to alleviate the convulsions. Quickly, Ryuu reached for the third coupling and jammed it into the capacitor.

There was a spark and a pop from the junction, and the quarter of the capacitor that hosted the third pathway flickered and shut down. Ryuu viciously swore and grabbed two circuit directors off of the table. That malfunction had cost him valuable time, and every second he wasted restarting the third quarter of the capacitor moved Kaiser closer to death.

He worked quickly, reprogramming the sequence and starting up the section again, setting it to the proper frequency. Kaiser's spasms subsided into a weak trembling, no color left in his face and limbs. Ryuu knew he didn't have much time. He punched in a few lines of code in the capacitor's interface, and the third quarter sparked to life. He thrust the third coupling in and attached it in record time.

Only one coupling left, and Kaiser was not looking good at all. Blood was now gushing from two of the coupling holes in his chest, and he began coughing up a sticky red liquid. Without hesitation, Ryuu attached the fourth coupling, not bothering to ground it, and prayed that it would work. He let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding when the fourth quarter lit up, coming to life and completing the pathway.

Ryuu fixed the capacitor into Kaiser's chest, the old man still writhing on the table. The pacemaker was fully installed, but it might have been too late to stop the episode from becoming fatal. The man's breath came in labored gasps as the device hummed, rechanneling the dark energy inside his chest. Slowly, his convulsions stopped, and Kaiser laid still on the table, out cold from the ordeal.

The teen leaned forward and nervously felt of Kaiser's neck. He gave a relieved smile when he felt a faint pulse. Ryuu removed Kaiser's restraints and slumped down into the chair beside the table, exhausted from performing the procedure. He had done everything he could, and now only time would tell if it was enough. The pacemaker was completed, but the damage to Kaiser's heart may have been too extensive to repair. It would become apparent in the morning which one was the case.

As the hours passed, Ryuu slowly drifted to sleep in his chair, his lips still uttering silent prayers for his father figure.

* * *

><p>Short chapter I know, but I wanted to get it out. Review and let me know!<p>

Next time, did the procedure work? And will Kitana be able to find the Black Spirit?


	7. Chapter 7

Hey people.

Sorry I haven't updated this story in a while, I've been trying to finish OLS before I go off to college. Here's a chapter to placate you until I find more time to write.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh 5ds, only my own characters and plot.

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: The Seeker<p>

Ryuu jolted awake in his jeans and shirt, a headache creeping into his skull as a bad taste resided in his mouth. He rubbed the sides of his temples as the morning light poured into the garage. A yawn escaped as the boy looked around, finding that he had fallen asleep in a chair beside the table where he had operated on Kaiser.

Things had gotten out of control the night before, but Ryuu was just glad there were no serious malfunctions. His greatest worry, however, was that the short circuit that occurred during the procedure might have damaged the pacemaker and rendered it useless. Then all his hard work would be for nothing, and there would be no way to repair the device before one of Kaiser's attacks became fatal.

Ryuu decided not to dwell on such things. At least Kaiser's heart was still beating. He shook off his own drowsiness and glanced over at the table where Kaiser had been laying all night. A sudden stab of fear entered his chest when Kaiser was nowhere to be found. Ryuu stood up and frantically began looking around the room.

_'Where the hell is he? He just had an operation for God's sake!'_

The boy could not find his guardian in the garage, and the stab of fear grew into a crushing weight. How could he have fallen asleep and let Kaiser out of his sight? Ryuu cursed himself for his inattentiveness and rushed out of the garage, fearing the worst for Kaiser.

He threw open the door to the kitchen and was met with the smell of something delicious. Ryuu paused for a moment in confusion as the aroma teased his nose before rushing towards the source. He entered the kitchen and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Top of the morning," Kaiser greeted. He was holding a frying pan over a makeshift stove that consisted of a few pieces of flaming wood and a thin sheet of metal. Eight strips of bacon were simmering over the fire, which explained the welcoming scent.

Ryuu would have been awestruck by the luxurious meal if he wasn't so worried. "Kaiser, you can't do that shit to me!" Ryuu cried. "I thought something bad happened!"

Kaiser shrugged. "Well, case closed," he simply replied, flipping the bacon strips over. "I haven't felt this good in years."

Ryuu's eyes widened. "Wait...you mean that...it worked?"

There was a sly grin of Kaiser's face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of duel monster cards. Ryuu knew it was the Cyberdark deck before it came into his view, and he instinctively flinched forward to take it from Kaiser. He was still, however, when he realized that the old man was holding the cards with ease, no spasms incapacitating him as before.

Kaiser nodded. "They still call out to me, but it doesn't hurt anymore. My heart feels stronger than ever. Hell, with a few more modifications, I might be able to duel again someday."

For the first time in...well, ever...Ryuu saw a look of genuine gratitude enter Kaiser's eyes. "Ryuu...thank you."

Ryuu smiled. Kaiser wasn't one for sentiments, but those two words told Ryuu everything that Kaiser was feeling. It had been years since the man had lived without his ailment, and this morning was the first time Kaiser had woken up without the hollow, aching pain inside his chest. It must feel like freedom, Ryuu decided.

Ryuu sat down. "Wow..."

"What?" Kaiser asked.

"Just that...what am I going to do with all of my free time now?" the teen joked. In reality, he was overjoyed that the pacemaker was a success and Kaiser was healed, but the old man's sarcastic nature had rubbed off on Ryuu.

Kaiser gave a short chuckle. "Well you can pour us something to drink for starters."

The breakfast was the best meal Ryuu ever remembered eating, not only because of the food, but because of the new ease with which Kaiser moved. It was like his body had reversed its aging by two decades, relieving the man of a great deal of his burden. It had been a long time since Ryuu had felt genuinely at peace, but sitting there with his father figure gave Ryuu a sense of contentment that was rarely felt in the Projects.

"So, any weird dreams lately?" Kaiser asked.

Ryuu took another bite of crunchy bacon, savoring the flavor. "Not really. At least, none as vivid as the one about the lions. There was one about the..." Ryuu caught himself. "Never mind."

Kaiser's ears perked up. "Hmm...you're still thinking about that girl, aren't you? The one you dueled as the Black Spirit?"

"A little," Ryuu growled. It made him uneasy that Kaiser was referring directly to his identity as the Black Spirit, something the older man never did. "How the hell did that pampered schoolgirl from the city match me in a duel?"

"Careful, she might be more than she appears to be," Kaiser warned. "Did you even catch her name?"

Ryuu thought back. "There was a younger boy with her, I think he called her Kitana." The image of the female duelist on her royal blue runner, ready to fight tooth and nail, entered Ryuu's mind. That night had become all but unforgettable, Ryuu's pride shaken by his narrow escape.

Kaiser sighed. "Ryuu, just be careful on your escapades. I know I can't stop you from riding as the Black Spirit, but eventually you're going to run into someone better than you. And if you're wearing that mask, it won't be pretty."

"I told you, someone has to keep the Northside gangs away from here," Ryuu retorted, suddenly becoming defensive.

"Still," Kaiser said. "Watch your back out there."

Ryuu gave a silent nod, indicating he wanted to drop the subject.

After breakfast was over, Ryuu hopped up and grabbed his jacket with more enthusiasm than usual. "I've got to work today, but I'll tell everyone the good news!" he called to Kaiser. "And we're going to celebrate tonight, you, me, John and Patrick!"

Kaiser gave him a short wave. "Just don't get too crazy with those infernal twins. They can get out of control."

Ryuu chuckled. "Yeah, I have some firsthand experience with that kind of thing. So what are your plans for today?"

"You know," Kaiser said, scratching his goatee. "I'm going to take the day off, maybe even scrape up a deck again." The old man loved dueling, but his condition had previously rendered him unable to compete.

"Just be careful," Ryuu warned. "We still don't know the limits of the pacemaker, and I don't want you breaking it in a foolhardy duel."

Kaiser shrugged. "Hey, have I ever let you down before?"

Ryuu shook his head as he grabbed his helmet. "I'll see you later, just try and take it easy. I was literally staring at the inside of your chest last night. Most people wouldn't be conscious after that, much less walking."

"I'll be fine," Kaiser said.

The engine sped to life as Ryuu started his runner and revved it a few times to warm it up. He gave Kaiser one final grin before he left. "Hey...I'm really glad you're okay."

Kaiser gave him a short wave as Ryuu sped off into the streets, doing sideswipes and wheelies like there was no tomorrow.

* * *

><p>It was a bad idea in retrospect.<p>

Kitana's morning had been extremely unpleasant so far. The first thing she had done was conceal her deck and duel disk inside of her backpack, in case her venture that day got rough. She was confident of her abilities in a duel, but she was also afraid that the gangs of the Projects wouldn't play by the rules if she did get into a confrontation. In the end, she was putting herself in a dangerous situation.

The second thing she did was something Kitana hated doing; she lied to her parents. She had told Jack and Carly she was continuing her project alone and that the research may take all day. Of course, her parents were more than happy to let her go, telling Kitana to take as much time as she needed. It made the teen cringe that she was so blatantly violating their trust.

And the third thing Kitana did was enter the Projects in broad daylight. When she rescued Yasuo and Jacob, it was nighttime, and the only thing she was focused on was saving her brother and her best friend. But now, under the shining sun, Kitana was able to get a full view of the derelict suburb. Broken down buildings and abandoned houses littered the sides of the rough streets, making Kitana uneasier with each passing moment.

She rode though the streets at a moderate pace. The internet had few maps of the Projects, and the ones that did exist were incomplete or outdated. She glanced at the address again before taking a right turn.

_'Come on, it has to be here somewhere.'_

Kitana went from house to house, checking what was left of the numbers on their sides. Even if she did find the correct building, it might not be the dwelling place of the person she was looking for, Kaiser Trusdale. But that wasn't going to stop her from trying. Kitana was resolute in her mission, despite the danger and the doubt of its success.

Her runner screeched to a halt when she found a number that matched the one in the file. She checked it twice, then three times before observing the house. It was better kept than most of the dwellings in the Projects, but it was still a shack compared to her home. No wonder these people were always so pissed off.

With a gulp, Kitana dismounted and slowly began walking up to the door, her duel disk ready to be activated inside her backpack. She gave a timid knock, half hoping that no one answered.

"Hello?" Kitana called. "Anyone there?"

A moment passed without a response, and Kitana knocked harder. The door gave way at her firm touch, slowly swinging open to reveal the inside of the house.

Kitana's stomach tied itself in a knot. There it was, the doorway that could answer all of her questions if only she had the courage to step through. The house could very well have been abandoned, but if someone did live there, Kitana didn't want to imagine what would happen if she was caught snooping.

Kitana closed her eyes, an image of the man in black flashing through her mind. Her desire to find him was slowly but surely overpowering her fear, determination coursing through Kitana's veins. She had to find him, had to know who the Black Spirit was.

She took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The interior was modest at best, decorated only with a few pieces of worn out furniture. It was relatively clean, but it was hard to tell the true condition of the room. There was only one exposed light bulb dangling from the ceiling, and it was currently off. The only light that dimly entered the room slipped through the thick blinds that covered the windows.

Someone definitely lived there, Kitana decided. She began searching for a clue to who it could be when there were footsteps behind her.

"And who do we have here?" a voice growled. It was low and threatening.

Kitana froze, too afraid to turn and face the angry resident. Her hands trembled and her heart pounded inside of her chest. She prayed that she would make it out of the house safely.

"P-please," Kitana whispered, her voice choked. "I don't want any trouble."

"Well it seems to me that you are breaking and entering young lady." It was a man, perhaps in his early sixties. "That is the very definition of trouble in my book."

Kitana slowly turned around and observed the man. He was of average height with an unnaturally thin frame, perhaps from a sickness. His hair was graying with a few streaks of its natural blue left, but Kitana's memory sparked in recognition when she observed his face. Could it be? She slowly stepped forward, wanting to appear confident.

"Are you...Kaiser Trusdale?" she asked.

The man was silent, staring at Kitana with eyes that showed fear and awe. They quickly reverted back into their emotionless trance. "Who's asking?"

Bingo. She had found the right person, but there was no way this Kaiser could be the Black Spirit. Different build, different voice. Although, their personalities were similar, which made Kitana think she was on the right track. Now all she had to do was convince this man to help her. Or rather, not to try to kill her.

"I, ah...my name is Kitana," she said. "And I'm...looking for an old friend."

Kaiser's eyes widened in recognition, which made Kitana nervous. Had this man heard of her before? And if so, how had he found out? Kaiser's dumbstruck expression slowly turned to an amused smirk, and he sat down at the table and propped his legs up. Kitana was truly confused and freaked out by the man's unusual behavior.

"And how can I be of service?" Kaiser asked. There was a hint of mocking in his tone.

Kitana took a moment to choose her words carefully. One wrong move and things could get really bad really fast. After considering her options, Kitana decided that ambiguity was the best course of action.

"Well, you ordered a part for him a few months ago. I was wondering if you might know where he is."

Kaiser leaned back. "Well, a name would be helpful."

Kitana bit her lip. If she gave him the name she found in the file, William Smith, and it turned out to be an alias, then Kaiser would know she had been snooping in his file, which Kitana did not want him to discover under any circumstances.

"That's...my business," Kitana said. "I'm sure you can identify him just by the part, right?" Perhaps a challenge would distract him.

Kaiser laughed. "You wouldn't be looking for William Smith, would you?"

Kitana tried not to react with surprise, but an involuntary gasp escaped from her mouth, giving her away. Kaiser smirked when he realized her true purpose. "Been looking into some sensitive billing information, have we?" he said.

"N-no, I just..." Kitana tried to find the right answer. She wasn't the best liar, far from it. "I mean, I only want to-"

"Find the Black Spirit?" Kaiser asked. It took all of Kitana's willpower not to run crying from the building and ride home, but she stayed put and nodded. There was no use lying now, and her hand involuntarily reached for her duel disk.

"Don't worry yourself," Kaiser said. "I'm not going to hurt you." Kitana relaxed slightly, but she was still on guard. "So, why so desperate about finding the most dangerous duelist in the city?"

Kitana scowled. "Let's just say we have unfinished business."

"So I heard," Kaiser replied.

"Then...you know where he is?" Kitana asked.

"Even if I did," Kaiser said. "What makes you think I would tell you, Kitana? After all, we just met."

She froze. So this guy wanted a reason to help her. Kitana had anticipated this situation, but she had not formulated an answer for it. Anything she could think of would fail to satisfy Kaiser, and she wasn't the type to make threats. At least, not to anyone who wasn't a threat. So Kitana decided to speak the truth and reveal her real motivation for searching for the Black Spirit and hope it was good enough.

"I want to duel him," Kitana said.

Kaiser snorted. "Take a number, half the city wants a piece of him."

Kitana reached into her backpack an pulled out the envelope that contained the invitation to the Fortune Bowl. She handed it to Kaiser, who wearily opened it and began reading. His expression was emotionless as his eyes moved back and forth, and a strained hush fell over the two. When he was done, Kaiser carefully placed the invitation back inside the envelope and set it on the table.

"You're not an ordinary city-slicker, are you?" Kaiser said. When Kitana didn't respond, he gave a short chuckle. "So you want to invite this guy into the city, perhaps give him a shot at a new life. Why?"

"Because," Kitana replied. "He's the best young I've ever faced. And as I said, we have unfinished business. Our last duel had to be ended before a winner was decided."

"So, you really are the girl he's been talking about," Kaiser said, almost to himself. "You know, you're lucky to be walking. Most of his opponents end up hospitalized or worse."

Kitana didn't know if she should have felt honored or afraid to be the Black Spirit's topic of discussion. She decided it was a good thing, mostly to reassure herself. There was another uncomfortable silence as Kaiser sat in thought. He was obviously weighing the options, and Kitana felt a spark of hope that she might be able to locate the Black Spirit.

The man leaned forward, his mind made up. "I'm not doing this because you asked," he said. "Or because you're offering him a new life, or because I think it's the right thing to do. I'll tell you where he is...but only because he would want me to."

Kitana raised an eyebrow. "Now _that_ I find hard to believe."

"You don't think he's been wondering how that duel would've turn out?" Kaiser asked. "He wants a rematch as badly as you do, and you're going to give it to him."

Kitana smirked. "Don't worry, he'll get more than he bargained for. So where can I find him?"

"Not so fast. First, you have to promise me something," Kaiser said.

"Name it," Kitana replied.

Kaiser leaned forward. "You must promise me that you won't reveal his identity as the Black Spirit to New Domino City. They will lock him up for good, and the Southside Projects will be in some serious trouble without the Black Spirit." Upon seeing Kitana's confused look, Kaiser elaborated.

"The Black Spirit isn't just some maniac with a duel runner. The reason behind his existence is because of the amount of violence caused by the Northside gangs. At night, the criminals of Northside used to run free in Southside, looting houses and mugging people. A lot of innocents were hurt, even killed because of the violence. When the Black Spirit showed up and started defeating anyone roaming the streets, the gangs stopped coming. They became afraid to venture out at night, and today we enjoy a relatively good amount of peace because of the Spirit."

Kaiser sighed. "I'm not telling you this because I like what he does. In fact, I despise it. But put yourself in his shoes. People you know are getting hurt badly, Sector Security doesn't give a damn, and you have the chance to give the attackers an eye for an eye, maybe prevent it from happening again. What would you do?"

Kitana was silent. She would do exactly what she did for Jacob and Yasuo; fight off anyone who tried to touch them with no mercy and no quarter.

"Exactly," Kaiser said, as if reading her thoughts.

Kitana took a deep breath. It was a lot to digest, but she understood Kaiser's concerns. "Okay, I get it. I won't reveal his identity if you tell me where he is, deal?"

"Deal," Kaiser said. He stood up and looked out the window. "There's a garage about eighteen blocks east of here. You'll find what you're looking for there."

Kitana nodded, feeling a wave of excitement and nervousness course through her. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you so much." She turned to leave.

"Kitana," Kaiser said. She turned around. "Be careful...he's a little prejudiced against city folk."

Kitana nodded before walking out the door. She was close, she could feel it in her bones. The thought of being face to face with the Black Spirit was unnerving, but she was ready to face him.

She gave her deck one last check before riding east, ready to face the demon of the Projects.

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><p>Crunch time! Review and let me know what you think!<p>

I'm not sure if anyone is still interested in this story, so please let me know if you want me to continue writing it.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey people!

So college is crazy, but I'm still trying to find time to write. Fair warning, my updates will be at irregular intervals.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh 5ds, only my own characters and plot.

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><p>Chapter 7: Drawn Together<p>

The garage was simple at best, the entire building looking more like a glorified shack than a distinguished repair shop. Even Kitana's worst experience with a garage didn't come close to the broken down architecture of the Black Spirit's dwelling. That being said, the garage was one of the better-kept buildings in the Projects. Kitana had little trouble finding it, as Kaiser's directions turned out to be accurate.

Despite her success at finding the Black Spirit's accomplice, Kitana was still uneasy as she parked her runner in front of the garage. What did Kaiser mean that the Spirit wanted a rematch? Perhaps he was exaggerating or speculating, but it was still and unsettling thought that the most dangerous duelist in the Projects had a vendetta against you.

Though her fears were still present, it was too late to turn back. Kitana had come too far to give up or show cowardice. She was resolute in her mission, and nothing would stop her. She dismounted from her runner and locked the controls, just to be safe. She was in the Projects, after all. There was no telling what kinds of shady characters were lurking around.

She walked slowly to the entrance, which was no more than a wide open garage door. Obviously the owners weren't too concerned about thieves, perhaps because of who inhabited the building. Kitana shivered as she imagined the fate of anyone who tried to rob the Black Spirit. That demon almost hospitalized her, and she had never even seen him before.

Kitana stepped inside. The place was mostly empty, save for a few tables occupied with various parts and tools. Several runners were lined up against the far wall, most of them junkers. The place was clean enough, but Kitana was sure she spotted a few safety violations. Then again, New Domino City wasn't too concerned with safety in the Projects.

"What can I do for you?"

Kitana spun around to meet a man with dirty blonde hair. He was a bit taller than her, looked to be a few years older, and his voice carried a thick Irish accent. His sudden appearance had flustered Kitana a bit.

"Oh, I ah..." she stuttered.

The man chuckled. "Sorry, that was a bit rude of me. Name's John," he said, extending his hand. "I own the place. If ya need anything, just ask."

"You only own half the garage John," another voice called from father inside. Kitana leaned to the side and saw another man sitting on the ground while typing away on a computer. He was almost identical to John, except for his jet black hair.

John picked up a small wrench and threw it at the other man, who dodged and let out a string of curses as the tool clattered beside him. John just laughed. "That's my brother Patrick. We're twins, so we share the ownership actually."

Kitana was taken aback. "I see..." she replied.

John must have thought that Kitana was surprised at the twins' bickering, as it was a spectacle like no other. But what really troubled the young girl was that neither John nor Patrick could possibly have been the Black Spirit. Their accents were too thick, their voices too lighthearted for them to be the same man Kitana faced those nights ago.

That meant the Black Spirit had to be deeper in the garage.

John cleared his throat. "So, what brings a pretty thing like you all the way out here? Got tired of the shops in New Domino?" He made no attempt to hide the fact that he was flirting.

Kitana was not amused, but she kept her aggravation in check. "How'd you know I was from New Domino?" Kitana demanded.

John snorted. "How could I not? You come in here dressed like that, riding that piece of hardware out there? You might as well announce it on a foghorn."

Kitana surveyed her clothes, which she thought to be relatively simple. Jeans, riding boots, a sweater with a riding jacket. Then again, designer clothes weren't exactly common in the Projects. And her runner was pretty advanced, even compared to ones in the city.

"So," John continued. "How can I be of service, Miss..."

"Kitana," she replied. "And I'm...looking for some parts."

"Well, ya came to the right place," John said. "Follow me."

Of course, Kitana had no interest in any equipment John had to offer, but if it meant getting farther into the garage, she was willing to be deceptive.

He led Kitana through various tables of equipment, from transmission to engine, from interior to exterior, computers to runners, and each time Kitana silently shook her head at the option presented. He led her farther in, and Kitana was surprised at the size of the building. It looked much smaller from the outside, but John didn't hesitate to go to all lengths to satisfy a potential customer.

After about twenty minutes of unsuccessful marketing and a second lap around the garage, Kitana still had not seen anyone else in the building. She was confounded, Kaiser said that he would be there. Then again, perhaps he had lied to protect his friend.

Another ten minutes of sales and John finally gave up. He shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Look girly," he said. "Maybe you're better off going to one of the fancy shops in New Domino. Cause we don't screw around here in the Projects. Now if you want something, go ahead and tell me what it is so we can call it a day."

Kitana bit her lip. She had to find the Black Spirit, and she needed John to help her. There was still one trick up her sleeve, but it was risky. Kitana swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"I'm looking for...a ZFX turbo driver."

John stared at her for a long moment, his face expressionless. He blinked twice and raised his chin. "That's some heavy shit right there."

Kitana's stomach did a back flip, but she held herself together. "Yeah...it is. So can you help me?"

John studied her for a moment more. Perhaps he now knew why Kitana was there, and he was deciding whether or not to aid her. He must know that ZFX was the same model the Black Spirit used, and there was no doubt he was aware of the man's identity. The tension was thick as John pulled out his deck, shuffled though it for a moment, and placed it back in its holster.

He look Kitana in the eye. "You need to leave," he said.

Kitana glared. "Kaiser sent me. He said I would find what I'm looking for here."

"Kaiser Trusdale sent you?" John asked, his eyes widening.

Kitana nodded.

The man ran a hand through his hair, debating something private. Kitana didn't know how much leverage the name Kaiser Trusdale had in the Projects, but based on John's reaction, he must have been well known and respected.

"You really are the one he's been talking about," John finally muttered. An involuntary shiver ran down Kitana's spine. Kaiser had been talking about her? No, that couldn't be right...it was someone else that knew her. And Kitana had a good guess of who it was. "Fine, follow me. But I'm warning you, he's hostile when it comes to strangers."

John led Kitana to the back of the garage, where there was yet another passage to a side room. "This is where we keep our nicer parts. Best not to have them out in the open." He threw open the door and gestured for Kitana to follow.

The room was considerably smaller than the rest of the garage, but it was large enough to host four tables of equipment and a duel runner in the middle of the room. It was partially disassembled, and it was impossible for Kitana to tell if she recognized it or not.

Below the runner, there were pair of legs extending outward. The sound of a socket wrench repeatedly tightening droned on as Kitana stepped forward. Her heart was beating faster.

"Ryuu here is our expert on anything that deals with duel runners. He's the one to talk to about your turbo driver," John said.

Whether John intended for his words to have a double meaning or not, Kitana didn't know. She stepped forward into the room as she heard John close the doors behind her.

At that moment, Kitana became utterly aware of just how vulnerable she was. She was in the Projects, no one knew her whereabouts, her clothes screamed that she was from New Domino City, and she was about to come face to face with the most dangerous duelist in the entire city, who happened to host a fair deal of malice towards her. If something were to happen, Kitana's chances were not good.

She swallowed. No turning back, she told herself.

Kitana approached the man who was working under the runner, her hands trembling with anticipation. He must not have heard her enter over the sound of tightening bolts.

Kitana took the opportunity to examine the runner in greater detail. It was painted midnight black, the same color as the Black Spirit's mount. But color was hardly incriminating evidence. The body was mostly disassembled, its parts strewn across the garage. Kitana had her doubts, but she could mentally picture reattaching a few of the parts to the runner that would make it eerily similar to the vehicle she saw that night.

There was only one way to verify that it was the same vehicle, but the turbo driver was currently missing as well.

Kitana took a deep breath. "Hello?" she called.

The sound of tightening bolts continued. "I'm busy," a voice replied from under the runner. "Talk to John, he can help you."

"John said I should talk to you," Kitana replied. That voice...

"Then go tell John I'm busy," the boy said, Ryuu as John called him.

"I'm looking for a turbo driver," Kitana asserted, ignoring Ryuu's protests. When Ryuu didn't respond, Kitana glared, as she was unused to being ignored. "A ZFX turbo driver," she clarified.

There was silence.

Then the clatter of a wrench and the roll of a board as the boy slowly slid out from under the runner. Kitana's breath caught in her throat as they looked each other in the eye.

Ryuu was a boy about her age, with dark hair and amber eyes. He look to be around 6 feet tall, his arms muscled from long hours of work in the shop. His expression was emotionless as he stared at Kitana, but his eyes clearly said not to mess with him. Even though he wasn't the most extraordinary specimen, Ryuu had a talent for intimidation.

He stood up and wiped his hands with a rag, glaring at Kitana the entire time. She could see fire in his eyes, anger burning inside his veins. But at the same time, she detected a trace of fear in his movements. Perhaps he was afraid of her just as she was of him.

"Get out," Ryuu said. "I don't have any."

"Kaiser said you would," Kitana retorted. "And my name is Kitana by the way."

Ryuu growled. "Kaiser, huh? He told you we have some in stock?"

"As a matter of fact, he did," Kitana said. They were dancing around each other's words, each one afraid to speak the truth behind the situation.

Ryuu shook his head. "Crazy old bastard..." he muttered. He sighed and looked Kitana in the eyes.

Kitana's heart was racing. Was this really the person she faced? Could this boy possibly be the Black Spirit, the terror of the Projects, the undefeatable phantom that hospitalized people on a nightly basis? That couldn't be right, he was barely older than she was!

Kitana found an unusual amount of courage in this realization. "So, you going to help me or not?" she asked while examining his runner. She ran a hand along the sleek design, the frame looking more familiar with each passing second.

"Hey, don't touch that!" Ryuu cried, shooing her away from the runner. "I built it from scratch, ya know."

"Really?" Kitana asked. "You must be very _talented_." Even though her words were meant to put Ryuu under stress, it was true. Building a runner from the ground up was an extraordinary task for a teenager.

"I guess," he growled. She was getting under his skin.

Kitana pressed farther, but she was still weary of the situation. "So, about the turbo driver. Do you know where I can find one?"

Ryuu shrugged. "You might try ordering it. Isn't that what you people from the city do, just make a call and get whatever you want?"

"Hardly," Kitana replied. "And I want my purchase to be...off the record."

"I figured," Ryuu said. They were still dancing with words, and Kitana was getting sick of Ryuu not taking the hint she had him made.

As Ryuu tried to create the illusion that he was disinterested, Kitana chose her next words carefully. If she didn't confront Ryuu about his identity, then he would never admit to being the Black Spirit. But if she stressed him too hard, he might kick her out, or worse. Both options were unfavorable, but only one had a chance of success. And unfortunately, it was also the most dangerous.

Kitana had enough. She reared back and gave the runner a vicious kick, putting a small dent the side of the body.

"What the fuck!" Ryuu cried. He shoved Kitana away from the runner, gritting his teeth. "You bitch, I should beat the shit out of you for that! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kitana was infuriated as well. "Not so enjoyable when someone hurts the things you love, now is it?"

The boy recoiled as if he had been struck. His breathing was heavy as he observed Kitana. And the look in his eyes was almost...regretful? Perhaps even sorrowful? Kitana saw his frame relax and his anger subside as he leaned against a table for support.

"You know?" Ryuu asked.

Kitana nodded. "It's you, isn't it? You're the Black Spirit."

Ryuu gave a dry laugh. "Congratulations. Took you long enough to say it." He raised an eyebrow. "How'd you find me?"

Kitana told the story of how she had tracked his turbo driver to the Projects, how she found Kaiser and how the old man led her to him. Ryuu listened silently throughout the anecdote.

"I knew using a New Domino City dealer was a bad idea," Ryuu said to himself.

Kitana nodded. "Well, I did break a few laws to get the information I needed," she admitted.

Ryuu smirked. "Well...good for you." He stood up again. "Now the million dollar question, why are you here? Did you come to get revenge, because I'm pretty sure I could win in a fight. Or maybe to threaten to report me to Security?"

"How about to offer you a rematch?" Kitana said.

"Seriously?" Ryuu asked. "That's it? That's why you braved the Projects, to challenge me to a stupid rematch?"

"I came here," Kitana said. "Because we have a score to settle. You hurt my brother, and I'm going to beat you because of it."

Ryuu laughed genuinely this time. "You think you can beat me in a duel?" Kitana's eyebrow twitched as she nodded. "Fine, where and when? I'll duel you right now if you want."

Kitana shook her head. "We already dueled on your terms. And midnight in the Projects was hardly a fair setting for me."

"Then where would you like to duel?" Ryuu asked.

She pulled the invitation out of her pocket and handed it to Ryuu. He cautiously took it and read it once. His eyes snapped back to Kitana. "What's this?"

"A formal invitation," Kitana answered. "To duel me in the Fortune Bowl. We'll face off in the Kiba Dome in less than a week. It will be tournament rules, so no more cheap cards like Pot of Greed, or Delinquent Duo, or Graceful Charity, or any of that crap. You'll have to play fair this time."

Ryuu snorted. "Cards are cards, don't complain about them. And why would I want to accept you invitation?"

Kitana hadn't been prepared for this question. "Because you get to duel me again-"

"So what?" Ryuu said. "I already know I would've won the first time, why do I need to prove it again?"

Kitana glared. "First off, you would have _lost_ last time. Second, the winner of the Fortune Bowl always gets a fancy scholarship to New Domino University. If you beat me, then you can move out of this godforsaken place." Kitana took a second to make her voice less malicious. "Think about it Ryuu. You have a chance at a better life. Why be the Black Spirit when you could be so much more?"

"I am whatever the Southside Projects need me to be," Ryuu answered. "And right now, that's a phantom, not a scholar. My loyalties lie here, not in the city."

Kitana frowned. She was offering him a better life, and he was refusing! Win or lose, this guy would attract some measure of attention.

"How is your brother by the way?" Ryuu asked, his voice solemn.

Kitana was caught off guard once again. She didn't know if she should be angry or humbled that Ryuu was asking. "He's fine...just has a bad headache now."

Ryuu nodded. "You know I wasn't really trying to hurt him. I just wanted to scare him off before someone really dangerous found him."

"More dangerous than you?" Kitana asked.

"There's criminals in Northside like you wouldn't believe," Ryuu replied. "They have no mercy for the weak. And those people are the only ones I really try to hurt, to keep away from Southside so I can protect my friends. But your brother was stronger than I thought he would be, and...I guess I overdid it..."

Ryuu became pensive. "So I became the Black Spirit. I knew I had to become more than just a man to keep Southside safe. I had to become fear, I had to become a nightmare, but most importantly, I had to become an idea. I could never have done that as Ryuu Trusdale, so I created someone who could."

He shook his head. "And now...I guess I've worn the mask for so long that I've forgotten who I used to be underneath."

Kitana felt a pang of sympathy for Ryuu. Kaiser had briefly described the condition of the Projects, but she had no idea Ryuu was sacrificing so much for the people's sake. He didn't apologize, but Kitana understood.

"You could start over," Kitana said. "If you accept my invitation, you might remember what it's like to duel as yourself again, not as the Black Spirit."

There was a long silence as Ryuu thought. And during that time, Kitana realized that deep down, she didn't want to hurt him. She thought that the Black Spirit would be some crazed sadist who hurt people for his own enjoyment, not a teenage boy who defended his home. Even if Ryuu hurt Jacob, all of his actions could be justified in Kitana's opinion. And because of that, she couldn't stay angry at him.

"I'll consider it," Ryuu muttered.

It was better than anything Kitana had hoped for. "Okay...good..." she replied. "The banquet is two days before the duel, so if you need a place to stay in New Domino...I guess I could try to find somewhere. Here's my number if you need anything." She offered a slip of paper.

"I'll be fine," Ryuu said, refusing it. "And I haven't said yes yet, so don't get your hopes up, sweetheart."

Kitana shook her head. That dry arrogance definitely came from Kaiser. "Guess I'll see you around then," Kitana said. She left her number on the table and began to walk out of the room.

"Wait," Ryuu said.

He walked over to Kitana and looked her in the eyes. "Listen...you're one of the best duelists I've ever faced," he said.

Kitana was about to compliment him as well.

"But I have never met a more foolish girl in my life," Ryuu finished.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Kitana demanded.

"Look," Ryuu said. "I understand your desire to protect your brother, but do us both a favor and stay out of the Projects from now on. Things could've turned out much worse than they did, and I don't want to see anything bad happen in Southside because of you."

After swallowing her pride, Kitana slowly nodded. "I...I understand," she said.

Ryuu relaxed. "Okay then..." Apparently he had been prepared to argue.

"Let me know what your decision is by tomorrow, I have to register you with the Academy by the end of the week," Kitana said.

Ryuu gave her a curt nod as she walked off.

The drive home was the most surreal experience Kitana ever endured. She has just invited the Black Spirit to duel her in the Fortune Bowl! And yet, she felt completely calm, as if the day had been ordinary.

After seeing the man behind the mask, Kitana thought she would feel empowered, feel like she had the advantage once he was stripped of his illusion of invincibility. And that was partially true. She did feel better knowing that the Black Spirit was only human. But now that she knew his motivations, it would be much harder to duel with the same amount of fire she possessed during their last match.

After dinner, a shower, some relaxation and a lame excuse to her parents about where she had been, Kitana laid down for a good night's sleep. Her eyes almost closed when her phone buzzed twice, indicating that she had received a text message. A glance at the screen revealed it to be an unknown number.

She opened the phone, and two words appeared that gave her goose bumps.

_'I'm in.'_

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><p>Like it? Hate it? Be sure to review and let me know.<p>

This chapter was a little more fast paced than I intended, but I received a few complaints that it was moving too slow. So, I'm just speeding it up a bit.


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